Atamasco Dusk
by darknessfollows
Summary: AU: After betraying the Hellsing Organization, Seras Victoria is sent on a suicide mission to Romania, to confront one of the oldest and deadliest vampires alive. However, this enigmatic vampire has no intention of dying or of killing her. AxS
1. Lamb to the Slaughter

Hello readers! It's been a while since I've done a fanfic, but I'm happy to say that I'm back, and hopefully I'll have many interesting and intriguing new plots to share with you all! For AlucardxSeras fans like myself, I'd suggest reading some of my other fics either on this profile, or my old profile (to which I lost the login), AnonymousPsychoFan.

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><p><strong>Chapter One - Lamb to the Slaughter<strong>

It was dusk in Romania, casting a deep orange glow across the land, and across the lonely girl who stood on the edge of the cliffs, her eyes held fast on the sea below. It seemed strange that she stood here, perhaps on the brink of death, her gun held loose at her side.

Her blonde hair, cropped short at her shoulders, whipped about her pale face, brushing across her sapphire blue eyes in the swift sea breeze. She wore a police woman's uniform, a deep gold jacket and skirt that might have been appropriate for combat had it not been about two sizes too small for the curvaceous woman. A red patch on one of her sleeves displayed a large 'H'.

"I've come here to die," she decided, her fingers closing a little tighter on her weapon.

Slowly, very slowly, she turned away from what was perhaps her last sunset, and turned her eyes towards the menacing castle high on the hill behind her.

Castle Draculae, in all its horrifying grandeur, arched high into the crimson sky, it's many turrets and towers silhouetted magnificently against the horizon.

The young girl, Seras Victoria as she was called, now grasped her gun more securely with both her hands, a look of determination overcoming her face, and marched steadily forward to meet her fate.

It was no easy climb up the steep slope, but years of intense physical training aided Seras as she pushed through the thick underbrush and over the crumbling rubble of the castle wall. She entered by the main gates, now just broken relics partially collapsed and useless as a prevention against intruders.

Not that the occupant of this castle had need to fear an intruder. No, he probably welcomed them, both unsuspecting tourists and vampire hunters alike. Centuries of solitude must have made an intrusion a welcome game to the monster within the castle.

Seras sighed heavily, refusing to slow her pace in spite of her common sense, which told her to flee while she was still able. She knew she was far from the first vampire hunter to approach this castle, and she was certain she would not be the last.

It was the ultimate punishment for soldiers from the Hellsing Organization. If you do something terrible enough, then you will surely be sent on a suicide mission to Romania, where no soldier ever returns from.

And Seras had certainly gone too far.

She had done the unthinkable the night she stood against the forces of Hellsing to protect a vampire, the very vampire who had taken her in as a girl and raised her.

Everett was anything but an ordinary vampire. He smuggled medical blood from hospitals to keep from endangering humans, keeping his dark powers muted and his meals few and far between. He had tried to coexist with that which he could have viewed as nothing but food. Seras had originally joined Hellsing under the pretense of protecting him. She had an unspoken deal with Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, head of the organization, that if she served as an officer in her forces, Integra would turn a blind eye to her "good" vampire.

That had all worked very well until the day Everett blew it. It had not been the first time in her life that she had seen him lose control and succumb to bloodlust. But it WAS the first time he had made the fatal error while Hellsing's careful eye had been following his every move.

In that moment, Seras had been given the chance to maintain her position and rank within Hellsing and to personally execute the man who had raised her as his own. And in that moment, Seras had thrown everything away and helped him escape.

Now, here she stood, on Hell's doorstep, prepared to face her own end. Trying to keep a level head, she entered the rotted doors of the castle, her footsteps echoing agonizingly around the vast stone interior of the castle.

Seras was under no pretense that she had managed to sneak into the castle. It was dusk, and the beast was no doubt awake and already hunting her, perhaps just waiting a few minutes to see if she would try to lay a trap for it.

Truthfully, she was in no mood to prolong her suffering. For the sake of trying, she sought out the stairway to the dungeons below the castle, either planning to stake the vampire in his coffin or be caught in the process.

The vampire had made very little effort to hide his coffin, a tell-tale sign of his power. A vampire's fate is tightly tied to his bed, and weaker ones can be killed or fatally wounded simply be destroying their final resting place.

A strong vampire would leave his coffin out in the open either to lure foolish vampire hunters in, or because it had become as meaningless to him as any other piece of wood. Either way, it meant she was dealing with a very dangerous creature.

Slowly, steadily, she approached the sleek, black box, the only new or beautiful thing in the entire castle. Scripted on its lid was a cryptic message.

"The bird of Hermes is my name, eating my wings to make me tame."

Calmly, she reached forward to remove the lid.

"Do _not _touch my coffin."

The voice was dark and rich, like a roll of thunder yet velvety soft at the same time. And so the monster had appeared at last.

"If I don't remove the lid," Seras replied quietly, "how am I going to stake you in the heart?" She didn't see the harm in a bit of humor in the face of death. The voice that had spoken so obviously came from behind her, after all. The vampire seemed to recognize her joke, and had the decency to humor her with a dark chuckle.

"You're not trying very hard, are you, Police Girl?"

His title was no doubt in reference to her uniform. Mustering all the courage she could, Seras turned to look destiny in the eye.

And what bright eyes it had! As red as fresh blood, as menacing as any hell creature. Beyond the frightening eyes was a pale, regal face, arrogant and amused as it stared down at her expectantly. Dark wisps of hair floated away from the face and into the darkness of the dungeon around them.

"I'm sorry to be a disappointment," she managed to say, "but I'm not the sort of meal you play with before you eat it. I'm here to die, not to become a toy for a monster. If you concede to feed on me promptly, I'll refrain from shooting myself and spoiling your fun. Blood tastes best from a living source, does it not?"

"Why not shoot yourself before you entered my gates?" the vampire inquired darkly. His expression was otherwise unperturbed by her declaration.

"I prefer to create havoc for my killers," she explained. "My real murderers, that is."

"The ones who sent you," the vampire prompted. His glittering eyes flickered to the bright red 'H' on her sleeve.

"Yes, Hellsing," she agreed. "You'll be more of a problem for them if you're well fed afterall."

The vampire laughed aloud. "I will do my best to honor your final wish and destroy them," he promised, giving her a mock bow, his right hand pressed over his undead heart. "I confess though, I would have preferred if you'd put up a bit of a fight. It's not often that Hellsing's sends me the gift of such pretty young hunters."

"If it's any consolation, I'm a virgin," she said, hoping to entice him into finishing the conversation sooner rather than later.

The vampire's eyebrow shot up. "You seem to know a great deal about vampires."

Seras shrugged, unwilling to divulge any further information about Everett.

The vampire seemed to recognize that she was keeping information to herself. She could tell from the way that his eyes glowed that he was more intrigued than hungry. From the color in his face she guessed that he had eaten within the day.

That didn't bode well for her. If he wasn't hungry, he might try to keep her for a few days, or worse, for his own personal sport. Seras has a lot of ideas about how she would leave the world. "Raped and killed" was not an option. She would find a way to end her life before she ever let an attacking man touch her body.

"Look, vampire-," she began.

"Alucard," he corrected.

It seemed a strange time for introductions, but with a sigh, she replied, "Seras." She then continued, "-if you're not planning on eating me any time soon, I'm going to have to end it myself."

"No need to be hasty," he said in a voice almost like a purr. "Who says I'm going to kill you at all? You and I seem to have a common enemy. There are other ways to enrage Hellsing besides me doing precisely what they want."

Seras refused to let her hopes peak, for she was sure that was only part of the vampire's plot. "Do explain," she invited, propping her free hand on her hip expectantly. "Hypnosis perhaps?"

The vampire chuckled. "You really know too much for a human," he said quietly, his eyes burning with interest. "It hardly surprises me that you, a woman, managed to find employment within that organization. They do not hire many girls, do they?"

A little bit surprised by the backwards compliment, Seras managed to proudly admit, "Other than Sir Integra, I was the only woman employed by Hellsing."

"No small feat," the vampire mused. "You must have some real fight in you. More than you bother to demonstrate to me."

Seras realized his angle. He was coyly trying to convince her to fight him properly. Grumbling, she raised her gun, pointing it directly at him. With a pull of the trigger, her automatic rifle began to riddle him with holes, the empty shell casings cascading to the ground at her feet. For a few minutes, the dungeon was full of the sound of shots.

Then she let the gun fall to her side, waiting to see what the vampire would do next.

Blood red shadows were surrounding his fallen corpse, seeping into the damaged flesh. Moments later, the vampire was back on her feet, staring at her with a grin. "That wasn't very polite, was it?"

"You'll just have to teach me a lesson," she suggested, smiling faintly.

"You make it sound so appealing, Police Girl," he teased, and she did not miss the implication in his voice.

Scoffing, she raised the gun again. "None of that, vampire," she warned.

"Alucard," he said again.

"Fine, Alucard!" she exclaimed in exasperation. "Now are you going to kill me or not?"

The vampire stared down at her curiously, no longer smiling in his manic way. "Do you truly long for death so desperately?" he asked softly.

Surprised by his question, Seras blurted out her answer before she could think. "Of course not!" she replied, her eyes going wide. "Of course I don't want to die. But since when was that ever a part of the equation? At the very least, I want to have a say in the manner of my death."

"And you chose death by vampire?" he asked flatly.

Seras almost had to laugh at his tone. "There are probably worse ways to die," she mused. "Like this, I'm just a part of the food chain."

Alucard's insane grin had returned. "You get more interesting by the second. In good conscience, I can't kill you, Police Girl. Go back to England."

Seras stared at him in shock, his words slowly registering in her brain. "Can't kill me?" she said blankly.

"Yes, I have no desire to kill you," the vampire said again, turning away from her like she was no longer worth his notice. "Go home."

"You know I can't do that!" she said in outrage, feeling a strange sense of rejection. "I have to kill you, or die trying!"

Alucard began to laugh loudly, turning slightly to see her. His eyes glittering, he said, "Let me know how that goes, Police Girl."

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><p>Thank you for reading this first installment of my story. I am already hard at work on Chapter 2 and will hopefully have it uploaded by tomorrow! Reviews are greatly appreciated!<p> 


	2. Fight or Flight

It seems I just couldn't stop writing, so this chapter is up and ready a bit sooner than I originally intended. Thanks to all my reviewers!

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><p><strong>Chapter 2 - Fight or Flight<strong>

Seras Victoria found herself sitting in a chair so old she thought it might crumble beneath her, watching as the vampire Alucard drank blood gracefully from a long-stemmed wine glass. They were in what must have once been a beautiful dining room, now nothing but a ruin, with a century old wooden table and a few decrepit chairs.

The chair in which Alucard sat was the only decent piece of furniture in the room, and looked to be something like a throne.

Typical, arrogant, vampire behavior.

She sighed, already bored with the spectacle. "You're really not going to kill me?" she confirmed.

Alucard swished the contents of his glass thoughtfully. "No, I'm really not going to kill you," he assured her. "You see, I simply _hate _caving to the demands of humans, particularly Hellsing."

"So if I say, 'Please let me go,' you'd imprison me?" Seras checked.

Alucard grinned. "Unlike you make think, I know the desires of your heart, at least to the extent that I can tell when you're lying as easily as I can recognize that, for whatever reason, you have no desire whatsoever to leave my castle."

Seras glared sharply at him, not liking to have her private thoughts and feelings pried into. At least Everett had always given her privacy.

"I suppose I have nowhere else to go," she said defensively.

The vampire smirked. "A little lost lamb, aren't you? Sent to the slaughter house, but even they have no need of you. So now you stand by, a ghost to what should have been your grave, watching as your fellow lambs meet their ends."

Seras shivered at the metaphor, Alucard's colorful words bringing the imagery to life in her mind. She found it strangely accurate.

"What would you have me do?" she retaliated. "If I return to England, I'll be executed for treason."

"Why not run away?" he suggested. "Take your pretty little life and flee, perhaps to the Americas, or maybe to some exotic Asian nation."

"Why not just kill me?" she inquired. "I said I was a virgin. Virgin blood tastes the best, doesn't it?"

Alucard inhaled deeply, as though he could smell her from across the long table. "It does indeed," he agreed hungrily, his eyes straying absently to the exposed skin of her neck. "Your blood sings to me a strange song. Greif, determination, independence, humiliation, courage, agony. You've had an interesting past, little police girl."

"Everyone has," she replied dismissively.

"Not to _that _extent," he informed her. "Even from my previous Hellsing meals I have no experiences of such a strange torrent of emotions. So tell me about it, Police Girl. Tell me about yourself, about your past. If you'll be staying here, you might as well entertain me."

"I already said," Seras repeated angrily, "that I am _not _here for your entertainment."

Slowly and ominously, the great vampire rose from his seat, sauntering to where she sat. He moved behind her, running an icy finger across her neck and shoulders.

"Do you understand, Police Girl, how powerless you really are? Do you think I'll allow you to end your life should I decide to make you my plaything, perhaps to test the limits of pain a human can handle for my own amusement?"

Seras felt shivers running down her back like cold water, both from the vampire's proximity and his threatening words. "You said you'd let me go," she said coldly, pulling away from him.

Alucard bent forward, snaking a hand beneath her chin so that he could tug her head to one side, exposing her neck. "Why didn't you take the offer?" he asked softly. "You said you don't have a deathwish, yet you seem to have no sense of self-preservation either. Perhaps you are simply tired of _this _life. I could offer you another, you know. A life free of constraints."

Seras snapped away from his hand, alarmed by what he was suggesting. He was offering to turn her into a vampire.

"I'll stay human, thanks," she insisted, eying him warily.

Withdrawing, he chuckled sadistically. "Where's the fun in that, Police Girl? Don't you even understand the magnitude of what I'm offering you?"

Seras shuddered, recalling some late night conversations with Everett in which he had divulged the true horrors of eternity to her, of watching people you care about die around you, the guilt you feel when you take life after life, the loneliness, the endlessness.

"Yes, I understand," she murmured, her eyes downcast at the mere mention of such horrors.

"And yet, you don't," Alucard replied. "In your emotions, where was the glory? The lust? The dark beauty? The deep desire? You understand nothing of what it is to be a true midian. Where do your false notions spring from anyways?"

Seras again found herself trying to steer away from the subject of Everett. She didn't know why, but she had a feeling she should not mention her adoptive father to the monster before her. Somehow, she felt it might be a danger to Everett if Alucard knew of his existence.

The vampire again had a flicker of intrigue behind his crimson eyes, as though he could tell she was withholding information.

"Do you know what happens when a vampire drinks the blood of a human, or even another being?" Alucard asked her. Seras shook her head hesitantly, and he continued, "They obtain all their memories, all their thoughts, and (assuming they kill the victim) their entire lifeforce. Do you understand what I'm telling you? If I drink your blood, you will become a part of me, and your essence will become one with mine."

Seras gaped at him in horror, suddenly aware that is was more than just her life at stake. It was her very soul.

"Does the offer for me to leave still stand?" she found herself asking quietly, her heart thumping wildly for the first time with raw fear.

The vampire roared with laughter. "Yes, by all means, you human pest. Leave my castle, live your life!" he practically shouted, waving her away from him with a broad sweep of his arm.

Without a second thought, Seras leaped to her feet and darted out of the dining hall and towards the castle entrance. The moonlight shone brightly down on her as she tore across the courtyard and through the ruined gates.

Down the steep slope of the mountain, across the valley of Arefu, and towards the town of Bran she ran, her breathing frantic, her eyes struggling to find her way in the darkness.

Once she had entered the village, she was entirely uncertain of what she should do next. Hellsing had only provided her enough money for the trip there; as if to leave no doubt that she would never return. She did have a little bit of her own money, as well as an ATM card, assuming she could find one of the machines.

Unsure of what else to do, she went to the nearest pub to ask for directions. By this time, most of the bar-goers were already on their way home, so it seemed to come as a surprise to the bartender when she ran in, still out of breath.

He took one look at her uniform, the gun slung across her back, and then gruffly said, "You best not have led the beast here, girl." He returned to polishing glasses with a stained rag, ignoring her all together.

"Sir, I just need directions to an ATM," she said as calmly as she could under the circumstances.

With a loud grunt, he gestured to the left. "Hobble Street," he murmured, and then turned his back on her altogether.

"Thanks!" she said even as she flew back out the door, walking briskly in the direction of Hobble Street. Just as he had promised, a dimly lit ATM stood on the corner. Without a second thought, Seras ran forward to withdraw enough money for a train ticket.

She had no idea where she was going, but she was certain that she could not return to England, and that she definitely couldn't stay in Romania where she was within reach of the demonic vampire in Castle Draculae.

She took out a large sum of cash, pocketing it as she closed her account.

No sooner had she turned around than she realized she had a problem.

Four men stood at the end of the alleyway across the street, watching her with predatory eyes. She had spent enough time in London to recognize a dangerous situation, and she had no doubt she was in one.

She didn't know if they were after her for the money in her pocket, or simply because she was a woman out alone at night. Either way, she was in no humor to find out, not having escaped from a vampire only to be attacked by street thugs.

She took off at a run, her long, powerful legs being put to use as years of training allowed them to be. The men wasted no time in following her. She could hear their heavy footsteps landing on the cobbled stones of the road as they pursued her.

She was headed for the train station, though it was still more than a mile away. She could only pray that the ten miles she ran every morning to stay in shape would pay off, and that she would outlast the men behind her.

She had no choice but to sprint as they drew steadily closer, which would do nothing for her endurance. This, however, was not a race. It was a fight for survival. She had no choice but to use every ounce of her muscular power to keep ahead of her pursuers, her heart rate sky rocketing as she fled. She dared not look back, but they sounded alarmingly close. She could hear the chaffing of their cloths, the jingle of their zippered jackets, the labored breaths falling from their mouths.

_I have the worst luck! _She swore, frantically quickening her pace. She wished desperately that Everett was here with her. He may not have been a contender for a vampire like Alucard, but he was more than a match for four humans.

Almost impossibly, this was not the first time that Seras had found herself in such a situation. The last time it had happened, after she had taken a wrong turn and ended up in a London slum, Everett had materialized like a ghost, skillfully wounding and then wiping the memories of her two attackers.

Seras was certain he would not come to her aid this time. Even if she screamed for him, he would not hear her. He was miles and miles away, probably hiding out in one of the many European nations while he waited for the chaos caused by his "slip-up" to settle. Surely he had never imagined Seras would face a fate such as this. If he had, he might have stepped forward to protect her. He had probably believed she would simply lose her job.

Seras shook her head. His naiveté was almost laughable for one so old. Integra Hellsing was not one to leave things to chance. She couldn't simply "fire" Seras and assume Seras would say nothing of the organization. Once Seras had betrayed Hellsing, she had as good as become an enemy of Britain.

_I was a fool to come here, _Seras thought miserably, her sides aching with stiches, her breath growing heavier in her burning lungs. _I should have ran when I had the chance._

Everything seemed too late now as Seras felt the wind of someone swipe at her. The next lunge brushed her elbow. She put every last bit of energy she had into a final burst of speed.

Too little, too late.

Seras felt the pull of many strong hands on her body, dragging her down to her knees. There was a brief scuffle before the attackers had her detained, her gun snatched away from her. They easily dragged her into an alley, talking eagerly amongst themselves in Romanian, laughing as though they had just won a game.

Seras wanted to cry, but couldn't find tears to shed. She wanted to scream, but her voice was caught in her throat. She wanted to close her eyes, but she was too mortified to look away.

Even as her assailants descended, their hands reaching for her, she had only one clear thought left in her head.

_Even becoming a vampire would have been better than this!_

As if right on cue, a familiar voice responded from within her own mind.

_Is that an invitation, Police Girl?_

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><p>And that's it until next time! I already have Chapter Three written, but I'm going to have to refrain from posting it until tomorrow. Hopefully you all can make it until then. Thanks again for reading! Reviews are greatly appreciated!<p> 


	3. Vampira

Thanks again to all my reviewers! You guys give me the encouragement I need to keep writing.

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><p><strong>Chapter Three - Vampira<strong>

In an instant, the world seemed to stand still. The men attacking Seras Victoria seemed to feel the same way because they froze, their senses tingling, looking around for the intruder. The alleyway appeared as empty as ever but for the strange, menacing presence Seras felt in the pit of her stomach.

_Answer me, Police Girl, _Alucard's voice spoke in her thoughts just as it had before. _I know you don't want to die here tonight. So how about it? Want to come with me?_

Seras stared blankly forward, the invading hands of her assailants still gripping her in all sorts of uncomfortable places.

The voice of one of the Romanian's shattered the strange trance that had held them all, and with a nod, his companions joined him as they continued to tear at Seras' uniform, trying to rip it from her body.

_You're running out of time to make your decision, Police Girl. Once you're tainted, I will be unable to change you._

_Why can't you just save me? _Seras found herself mentally demanding. _You're more than able to…_

Alucard's deep chuckle reverberated audibly throughout the alleyway, causing the thugs to stop what they were doing, murmuring in fear amongst themselves. They stared around with frantic eyes, trying to determine the origin of the sound.

There was the sudden sound of a gunshot, and one of the men holding Seras collapsed to the ground dead. Two more bangs quickly followed, and two more men dropped like flies.

The one remaining man quickly seized Seras, twisting her painfully backwards against him. A streak of silver and then the cold sensation of metal made Seras aware that a knife was pressed to her throat. The man was shouting in Romanian, no doubt threatening to kill her.

_Last chance, Seras, _Alucard said silkily. _Do you want to live?_

For a brief moment, Seras saw her life flash before her eyes, everything from her earliest memories as a child to the day she had received the orders to go to Romania in Integra's office. Her life as a human was dwindling to an untimely close before her eyes.

"Y-yes!" she finally burst out, unintentionally shouting it as loudly as she could.

In that instant, she experienced pain as she had never felt before. It felt as though a cannonball had ripped through her ribcage, tearing her to pieces from the inside out.

She slowly slipped to the ground, blood bubbling behind her lips. Behind her, she heard the heavy thud of another body crumpling.

The night sky above her seemed strangely red in her eyes, the moon full and ripe.

_I don't want to die, _she thought in agony, tears streaming from her eyes. It took being on the threshold of death to realize that she wanted to keep living at all costs.

A shadow moved across her vision, a blur of black and red obscuring her view of the moon.

"This is your last chance to change your mind, Seras," Alucard said eagerly. "If you refuse me now, you can die as a human. However, if you accept my offer, I can give you the gift of freedom as you've never known it."

Seras realized that she was almost gone, her eyesight growing dimmer and dimmer as she stared up at her killer. And yet, as her final act of this life, she found herself reaching for him, too far gone to voice her most desperate desire to remain on this earth.

Halfway to him, her strength failed, and her hand fell limp. Alucard caught it in his own, and with a tone that was nothing short of gleeful, he told her quietly, "Just remember: the choice was always yours."

As her mind slipped into unconsciousness, she felt herself being pulled into a pair of strong arms.

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><p>Seras slowly regained consciousness, opening her eyes. Her vision was still blurry, so she blinked a few more times until a modern, white ceiling came into focus.<p>

For a moment, she thought she was in her flat in London.

Then, reality caught up with her in the form of a rampant stream of memories, beginning with her arrival at Castle Draculae, and ending with her being shot in the chest.

At this final recollection, she bolted upwards, lifting her pajama shirt up over her breasts to inspect for the wound. The skin there was as smooth and unharmed as it had ever been, if not a little paler than normal.

Sighing, she let the fabric fall. Had it all been a vivid dream?

"Good evening, Police Girl."

Seras practically tumbled from the bed at the sudden sound of the hauntingly familiar voice. A shiver of raw terror spread across her body until she had recovered her senses and managed to slowly turn to face the proof that her memories were anything but a dream.

Alucard was sitting on the edge of the bed, leaning backwards against the mahogany headboard with a look of unbridled amusement on his face. His broad grin proudly revealed his ivory fangs, glinting menacingly in the faint light of the room.

"How does it feel now that you're dead?" he asked curiously, watching attentively for her reaction to this final reminder of her fate.

Not one to disappoint, Seras leaped from the bed and scurried across the room to the mirror where she hooked her finger into her cheek, pulling it back to reveal her small but lengthened canines.

"I'm a-," she tried to exclaim, but the word vampire just couldn't make it passed her lips.

Unable to speak, she stumbled back to the bed and collapsed on the end of it, holding her confused head in her hands.

She was a vampire, a monster of the night, the beast she had spent the last three years hunting on Hellsing's behalf.

Unable to openly admit her shock, she found herself asking, "Where exactly are we?" It was a struggle to keep her voice level.

"I can't raise a fledgling in that decrepit castle," Alucard said dismissively. "We're in Paris, if you must know, in one of my many residences across Europe."

"P-Paris?" she repeated breathlessly, her shock only increasing with every passing moment. "When…? How…?" She was at a loss of words.

"I told you that you understood nothing of the world of night," Alucard said, his eyes burning. "You've been tainted by too many years spent in the presence of an incompetent vampire."

Seras shuddered, recalling that Alucard now knew everything about her. Just as he had feasted on her blood, he had gorged himself on her memories, her hopes and her innermost thoughts. In the blink of an eye, he had come to know everything about her.

"You won't hurt him, right?" she murmured uneasily. "Everett, that is. He is very dear to me."

Alucard scoffed. "A vampire like that is hardly worth noticing, let alone hunting. So long as he maintains his distance, I have no fight with him."

"He doesn't even know where I am," she shrugged. "I don't think you have to worry about him trying to get close to me."

"Good," he said decisively, rising. "Fledglings are enough trouble on their own without interference by other midians."

Bristling, Seras couldn't help retorting, "You didn't _have _to turn me you know."

"Are you complaining?" he demanded, his eyes warning.

Seras felt a strange pull towards submission, as though it went against her most basic instincts to cross the elder vampire.

"N-no," she found herself saying, her face turned downwards.

After a few moments, she felt a gloved hand snake beneath her chin, tilting it upwards so that she was forced to look into Alucard's eyes. His touch, which had felt so icy-cold to her as a human now felt hot, as though there was actively burning fire just beneath his skin longing to burst forth.

In the pit of her stomach, she knew that this was Alucard's power. She shrugged away from his touch, wondering if she felt bitterly cold to him. The thought for some reason filled her with shame.

"Calm yourself, my draculina," he said softly. "You are a mere newborn, and cannot be expected to be of any great power or usefulness just yet."

Seras felt a strange warmth spreading through her. Though the words were harsh, she could sense that they were meant as words of comfort, and coming from Alucard, that made them all the more valuable.

Seconds later, she found herself frowning at her reaction to his gesture. What was she, a puppy? He had but to pat her on the head and she was leaping for joy?

Disgusted with herself, she rose from the bed, stepping curiously through her new environment.

"Why do you live in that castle all the time?" she asked curiously, staring around at the comfortable furnishings of the Paris townhouse.

"I don't," he replied flatly. "I go there to feed, primarily on the gifts Hellsing sends me from time to time. I must say though, they've really outdone themselves this time. Integra Hellsing must not have believed that virgins still exist in this day and age."

Wondering if he was implying that there was something wrong with her for having maintained her virginity until the age of twenty three, Seras shot Alucard a timely glare.

His eyebrow shot up. "Something the matter, Police Girl?"

"No," she said hastily, turning her back on him under the pretense of examining the rest of the bedroom. "It's just some of us we're focused on more important things than boys and sex."

"Such as joining the police academy to avenge their parents' murders?" he prompted. "Or getting drafted by one of the most dangerous organizations in England to protect the welfare of a cowardly vampire?"

"He wasn't cowardly," she said defensively. "He's a good man. He took me in when no one else would."

"And abandoned you when you need him most," Alucard added, rising from the bed and walking toward her, reminding her again of the astounding difference in their heights.

Seras looked back at him determinately, her eyes narrowed, her arms folded across her chest angrily. "Why are you so determined to make me think ill of Everett?" she demanded.

He stared down at her imperiously.

"There is only room for one master in a fledgling's world," Alucard replied very seriously. "I will not have the presence of another vampire in your thoughts undoing my work."

Seras gave him a defiant glare. "You can't simply demand that I forget about the man who raised me," she informed him.

"Actually," he said, touching his fingers lightly to her forehead, "I could make you forget your own name, if I had the will to."

Seras stepped backwards, breaking the contact before he got any ideas. "Please don't," she said quietly, though her eyes maintained a challenge in spite of her timid tone.

"Don't give me a reason to, Police Girl," he said simply. "Now get dressed. We have a beautiful night ahead of us, and there is much I need to teach you before you can become a full-fledged vampire."

"Get dressed?" she repeated blankly. "I don't have any clothes to wear."

Alucard merely gestured to the large wooden dresser next to the window. "I'll be waiting," he said, walking away from her and the phasing straight through the wall into the next room, despite that the door was already wide open and barely a foot from where he has been standing.

"Showoff," she huffed, and then turned to examine the contents of the dresser.

She began to paw through the various garments, and found that they were all women's, and all her size. For a moment, she started to wonder how Alucard knew what her size was. But then she decided that some questions were better left unasked.

Every piece of clothing in the dresser was dark in color, and generally in a gothic style. There was a lot of black lace, an array of corsets, tight pants, mini-skirts, and a variety of other inappropriate things hiding in the depths of the wooden drawers.

She opened one of the small-sized drawers near the top of the dresser and then slammed it shut with a bang, unprepared for the lacy undergarments that lay within.

In a display of confidence that surprised even herself, she yelled into the next room, "I'm a virgin, dammit!"

She was awarded a dark, appreciative chuckle, followed by the words, "I'm keenly aware, Police Girl."

Sighing in exasperation, Seras returned to her desperate search for modest clothing.

By the end of it, she was dressed in a soft black top, solid in the bodice, but sheer in the sleeves and shoulders. It dipped low in a sweetheart neckline, revealing a bit more cleavage than she was used to, but at least her midriff was covered, which was more than she could say for most of the other tops in the drawer. She had uncovered a pair of dark red jeans that she held firmly on her waistline by a chain-like belt and covered up to the knee with a pair of large, black combat boots boasting a few more buckles than were necessary.

"Where does he shop?" she said wondrously, staring at her punk-goth appearance in the mirror. "All I need is to die my hair black and I'll fit in at every poetry house from here to England!"

As an afterthought, she grabbed the long, black trench coat she had found in the very bottom drawer along with the boots, thinking vampires must wear them for a reason.

She joined Alucard in the small common area outside the bedroom, where he was lounging idly on a couch.

"Did you find everything you need?" he asked, his eyes brimming with mischief as they raked over her newly acquired clothes.

"Where on earth did you find these?" she complained, gesturing to her outfit.

"It's what all the vampires are wearing these days," he assured her, his tone mocking. "Besides, they look good on you."

He might have been teasing, but the compliment still resounded loudly in Seras' heart, and she found herself again imagining a puppy bouncing up and down at Alucard's feet.

Frowning, she said, "Shouldn't we be leaving?"

"So eager, Police Girl?" he teased, rising from the couch. "Most fledglings are more timid on their first hunt."

"First hunt?" she blurted out, eyes going wide. "I'm not going to… I can't…"

"Yes, you can and you will," Alucard interjected before she could say anymore. "Are you in any position to defy me?"

As she looked at him, older, wiser and stronger than her by a thousand degrees of magnitude, the only words she could muster were, "No, sir… my master…"

Alucard grinned, obviously pleased by her recognition of the change in their relationship. He extended a long arm to her, the palm facing up expectantly. "Come to me, my fledgling," he commanded. "In spite of your fear, follow me into the darkness as far as you can."

As if drawn by magic, Seras closed the distance between them, slipping her much smaller hand into his iron grip and allowing him to pull her into a world of shadows, saying only, "Yes, Master."

* * *

><p>Already working on Chapter 4, and hopefully I'll have it up sometime before the end of the weekend... we'll see though :) Weekends tend to be busy for me! Review if you're enjoying my story! I tend to update faster when I have support ;D<p> 


	4. Night Life

**Chapter 4 – Night Life**

The shadows dematerialized, leaving Alucard and Seras exposed beneath the bright moonlight. They were standing in the alleyway behind what must have been a chinese restaurant, judging by the smells wafting through the open kitchen door.

"Are we still in Paris?" Seras asked, frowning as she stared up at the tall apartment buildings around her.

"Welcome to New York, Police Girl," Alucard replied, grinning down at her.

"New York!" she exclaimed in disbelief. Only seconds ago they had been in France. Now they were in America? "Why are we here?"

"You don't shit where you eat," he said simply. "Or eat where you sleep. The saying goes something like that, doesn't it?"

Seras was still working out what he had said when Alucard began to walk towards the end of the alleyway beyond which she could see the crowded city street.

Seras followed quickly behind him, not wanting to be left behind. Alucard paused at the edge of the sidewalk, giving his fledgling the chance to catch up to him.

They stood for a moment side by side, watching the late-night partyers pass them, laughing loudly, many of them drunk.

"Friday night in New York," Alucard mused, his eyes flitting across his potential meals. "Let me know if you see one you like, Police Girl."

Seras tensed automatically. "I'm not killing anyone," she murmured. Alucard ignored her and stepped out into the street. Right before her eyes, his clothes melded into a sleek and fashionable suit with a partially unbuttoned red shirt beneath it. His long black hair was slicked back against his head, and despite the time of night, he wore a dark pair of sunglasses.

He blended easily with the crowd of partygoers, looking wealthy and polished, perhaps a popular night club owner. Seras at his side must have looked like his date for the evening, a young, well-endowed, skank.

She found herself flushing, suddenly understanding why all the clothes in her dresser had been so skimpy. As if to enhance this image, Alucard placed a hand on her shoulder, pulling her closer to him so that she continuously bumped into him as they walked.

Seras was certain that her blush had doubled. She hugged her arms about her upper body protectively, trying to keep as much distance between herself and her master as possible.

"Too meek, Police Girl," Alucard scolded. "You are a child of the night, so act like one."

Seras tried to hold herself straighter, but that only caused her limbs to stiffen and she promptly tripped over her clunky boots.

Alucard caught her by the elbow, tugging her upright with a sigh. "Perhaps I've overestimated you, Police Girl," he murmured.

Seras wilted like a scolded puppy, shying further away from his touch. Alucard refused to relinquish his hold on her.

He steered her through the bustling streets and towards a nightclub, the glowing neon sign over head reading "The Nightwalker".

A surly bouncer stood at the door, and a long line of people waited outside the club on the sidewalk, impatiently looking towards the entrance.

Alucard bypassed the line altogether, approaching the bouncer directly. He slowly removed his sunglasses, his back to the crowd, a looked down at the bouncer, his eyes glowing. "Let us in," Alucard said softly, his voice deep and dangerous.

The bouncer stared back into Alucard's eyes, his face slowly relaxing. "Yes, sir," he said blankly.

He lifted the rope barrier and Alucard stepped confidently into passageway to the nightclub, Seras a step behind him.

"Hypnosis?" Seras observed.

"Something of the sort," her master grinned. "Not the extreme case of mind possession. It's a simple case of an illusion, forcing the human to see me as an expected guest."

They came to the end of the long hallway, two attendants automatically opening the door for them. Music and lights flooded Seras' mind, almost to an extreme degree. Her heightened vampiric senses seemed to go haywire, the smell of so many tightly packed humans unsettling her stomach.

Seras realized very quickly that she was hungry. _Very _hungry.

She felt this strange new insatiability with more than just her stomach. She felt it throughout her body, from the way her fangs lengthened to the feral instinct taking over her rational thought.

She could hear the sound of heartbeats louder than the music, and could practically feel the rush of blood in the room.

A hand on her shoulder brought her back to her senses.

Surprised, she turned her face upward to try to read his expression.

"Be subtle," he instructed, obviously amused by her sudden bloodlust. Seras nodded slightly, though her hunger was still driving her wild.

Alucard pulled her over to a vacant booth near the bar, a good place to sit and watch the club scene unfold. A waitress quickly appeared before them, and Alucard ordered two glasses of wine.

"Vodka," Seras intervened. "I don't drink wine…"

Alucard smirked, raising an eyebrow. "You can't drink straight Vodka. You'll be drunk in an hour."

Seras rolled her eyes and changed her order to a vodka martini.

Drink in hand, Alucard lounged against the back of the booth, sipping thoughtfully. He kept his sunglasses on, even indoors, making it impossible for Seras to guess what he was looking at. He might have been staring at his wine, or watching her, or (the thought made her angry) observing the throng of skimpy women grinding barely feet from where they sat.

A pair of young women, both very good-looking and wearing clothes that looked like they might fall off their bodies at any second, seemed to notice Alucard. Whether they thought he was attractive or rich, they stalked over to him, and invited him to dance.

To Seras' shock, he accepted, and seconds later had disappeared into the crowded dancefloor, a girl on each arm. She couldn't place the reason, but the sight of him leaving, grinning so blatantly, infuriated her.

With a growl, she downed her martini and ordered the raw vodka she had been craving all along. She caught a sudden glimpse of Alucard and his two bimbos in the crowd, the girls grinding on him eagerly, their sequined outfits flashing in the many strobe lights of the club. Alucard seemed entirely pleased with the situation. He was not dancing per say, more allowing the girls to dance around him while he encouraged them with the occasional caress of his long fingers.

Seras frowned in disgust, taking a heavy drink of her glass. Her stomach empty, the effects of the alcohol began to take a very swift toll on her senses.

When a young man noticed her lack of partner and asked her to dance, she was past the point of inhibitions and gladly accepted.

She may not have had time for boyfriends, but she had been in London clubs many times before, and knew how to dance well enough. She wasted no time in rendering her partner breathless with her raw, sensual motions, eventually coaxing him back to the bar with her to buy her a drink.

The young man could do nothing but stare at her the entire time, his eyes roving over her curves when he thought she wasn't looking.

With a fresh burst of alcohol in her system, Seras dragged the unsuspecting youth back to the dance floor, pressing herself against him a bit more intimately than she should have. His hands grabbed her tightly on her hips, pulling her close against him.

The new position brought her within a startling close vicinity to his neck, and she felt her hunger roar expectantly. His smell was almost criminal. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, inhaling deeply.

Curiously, she extended her tongue to taste the salty-sweet skin. The young man shivered in pleasure, groaning faintly in her ear as he ground his body against hers.

Seras found herself licking his neck again, grazing it lightly with her fangs.

_Not here, _her master's voice said softly in her mind.

Seras withdrew, realizing that she had been seconds from puncturing his throat.

"Wanna go somewhere?" he breathed lustily, leaning close to her so that their lips were almost touching.

Seras leaned away from the kiss, feeling that it was somehow wrong despite the intimacy they had shared on the dance floor. She found herself on the brink of an important moral decision, one that would surely play a major role in her maintaining of her humanity.

"Yeah," she murmured finally, her bloodlust winning out over her reason. "Do you live around here?"

* * *

><p>Seras slowly entered the small, low-income flat, stumbling over an empty beer box before she was three feet into the door. The room was dank, and smelled of stale alcohol. The limited pieces of furniture were shabby and old. Seras was somewhat disgusted to be in such an environment, but her thirst compelled her to smile like nothing was wrong.<p>

The drunken young man smiled sheepishly as he closed the door behind her, latching the bolt as subtly as possible. Had Seras still been a human, this action would have alarmed Seras. Yet as a vampire, it only made things easier.

Seras sauntered closer to him, placing a hand to his chest and backing him up against the door. His scent was intoxicating. The feel of his heart racing beneath her fingers drove her wild with hunger. Slowly, she leaned in towards his neck, inhaling deeply.

"You smell delicious," she whispered, pressing her lips softly to his neck. It was almost like a kiss, but the motives behind it were different. The hunger was roaring in her ears, compelling her to strike.

_Now, Police Girl, _Alucard hissed. She could almost feel his approval, his encouragement.

She parted her lips, her tongue extending to brush against the supple flesh. The taste was nothing short of perfection, and she could feel her canines lengthening almost painfully, stretching against her gums.

Her instincts guided her to the location directly above the vein.

_Now, Seras! Bite down, and drink a taste sweeter than any wine, more satiating than food to a starving man._

Seras growled at her master's words, her senses overcome. Without a moment's hesitation longer, she sank her fangs deep into the unsuspecting man, her eyes growing wide as fresh, hot blooded flooded into her mouth.

Every gulp satisfied her in a way she had never imagined. Her victim, rather than screaming, was moaning in ecstasy, though that was little more than vague information to Seras, who was reveling in the heat flooding through her system.

She continued to drink until the young man went limp in her arms, until every last drop of blood had been drained from his body.

Finally, she broke away from the corpse, allowing it to crumple to the ground. Her heart still raced with adrenalin, telling her to feed.

As she turned to the room to search for more food, she saw only Alucard, leaning against the musty wall, watching her with delight. Somehow, the sight of him seemed to trump her desire for food, and she found herself stalking carefully towards him, a frenzied but submissive gleam in her eyes.

"My master," she murmured, pausing a few feet from him, trying to gage his reaction. "Are you pleased?"

Alucard pushed off of the wall and moved towards her.

Seras felt a tremor of fear pass over her, but she defied it and stood her ground as he approached. He reached out to her with a gloved hand, wiping bit of blood away from her chin.

"Yes, my little fledgling, I am pleased." He patted her head softly like he was praising a dog.

Seras smiled at the gesture in spite of herself, and leaned into his hand.

"Your work isn't finished though, my dear," he purred, producing a small handgun from beneath his coat and handing it to her. "You have to put a bullet through his head to ensure he doesn't rise again as a ghoul."

The weight of the gun in her already blood-soaked hands was a strange wake-up call for Seras, perhaps because it brought back her days as a police officer, as a human.

Her eyes flicked to the collapsed corpse by the door, and then to the dusty mirror that hung against the wall. What she saw alarmed her. The creature that stood there with blood stains down her neck, eyes a vibrant shade of crimson, fangs lengthened was almost unrecognizable.

_I'm a monster, _she thought in horror.

_You're beautiful, Police Girl. Now finish it._

Unable to resist such a direct command from her master, she raised her gun, pointing it down at the skull of her late victim. Her trembling finger pulled the trigger, and the bullet plowed into the floor near the body.

Seras frowned, wondering why her usually perfect aim had failed.

Alucard sighed, pulling his own gun – a large, black menacing creation with the word _Jackal _scrawled on the side – and finished off the corpse, causing it to turn to a mess of dust and blood.

"We'll have to work on your aim, Police Girl," Alucard informed her, resheathing his weapon. He stepped close behind her, capturing the handheld he has delivered to her and returning it to his pocket.

"I was the best shot in the academy!" Seras objected, rounding on him indignantly. The realization of his proximity caught her off guard. She tried to backtrack but Alucard caught her about the middle, pulling her towards her. The physical touch brought back a memory of Alucard in the nightclub, dancing with two skanky girls.

Alucard chuckled. "Do you envy my dinner, Police Girl?" he asked softly. "If it is your desire, I can devour you as well." His eyes burned as he spoke.

"You would kill me?" she wondered, unable to look away from his brilliant eyes.

Alucard grinned. "Not like that," he replied. "Having lived with a vampire, you really understand so little about the fine line between blood and sexual desire?"

"N-no," she said defensively. Having just fed for the first time, she had begun to understand that dinner meant seduction. So Alucard had only seduced the girls at the night club so he could get them alone, just as she had, and feed on them?

"True, Police Girl. If you had used reason instead of emotions you might have realized as much sooner. However, I was referring to the interaction that occurs between two vampires when blood is exchanged."

"Everett never had a lover," Seras admitted in embarrassment, realizing the implication at last. Alucard was proposing, that just as she had made her dinner moan with her bite, he could do the same to her. But without killing her. And if she wasn't dead, a bite like that could lead anywhere.

"If you're proposing we have sex, I'm going to have to pass," she said bluntly.

Alucard leaned away from her, releasing his hold on her. "I don't take well to rejection, Police Girl," he growled, frowning down at her.

Seras waved her hands quickly, saying, "Ah, it's not because it's _you_, Master, it's just I didn't make it to twenty-three as a virgin for nothing. Obviously, I'm saving myself for someone special."

"A few years as a vampire will change that," he replied scathingly.

"Well, if that time comes, you can ask again and maybe my answer will be different," Seras said, rolling her eyes. "Now, shall we go, Master? Two gunshots means the neighbors will have called the cops…"

Nodding silently, Alucard generated a fresh portal, through which Seras trustingly bounded. Moments before he followed, Alucard murmured, "When the time comes, I _will _be the one to claim you, Seras Victoria. You are mine after all…."

He then followed his fledgling boldly into the void.

* * *

><p>I can't say that I've started on the new chapter yet, so I'm not sure when it will be up. I'm spending a little time working on my actual novel. I'll give you a hint though... nice reviews convince me to go faster ;D Also, I'm open to requests! I have an "end goal" for this story, but bunny trails make the ride more interesting! Thanks for reading guys! :)<p> 


	5. With a Vengeance

Slightly shorter chapter, this time. You could think of this as the "Interlude" before the story really gets rolling. As you read, I think you'll finally understand where I'm going with the plot... Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Five – With a Vengeance<strong>

Seras found herself rising with the moon the following evening. She couldn't quite remember falling asleep, but she was still fully dressed, her clothes stinking of alcohol and old blood.

Disgusted, she crawled from the bed and quickly stripped, heading straight for the bathroom to take a shower. The warm water went a long way towards removing the grimy feeling from her skin. She found the built in tile shelves to be fully equipped with anything she might need, from soap to conditioner. There was also a wide array of bath oils that she vowed to use another time.

She took her time about letting the warm water run down her body, trying to remember all the details of the previous evening. She had a lot of memories of dancing, and then the recollection of her first feeding.

_I killed someone, _she realized.

She sought inside herself for the sensation of guilt she expected to feel. Yet, her only reaction to the reality was satisfaction. She had fed and her master was proud. What more mattered?

When she had finished showering, she cut off of the water flow and stepped onto the cool tile. A pile of fluffy white towels was already stacked neatly on the polished marble counter, awaiting use.

Seras helped herself, supposing these were for her benefit and not Alucard's. Somehow, she couldn't imagine him doing something as trivial as bathing.

"He can probably just _think _himself clean," she grumbled, toweling the moisture from her skin. She wrapped one of the towels about her body, draping another over her head as she tousle dried her short hair, leaving it damp and messy as she exited the bathroom.

For some reason, she was not surprised to see Alucard lounging casually on her bed. She frowned, hugging her towel a little tighter about her body.

"Can I help you, Master?" she asked sarcastically.

Alucard waved a scolding finder, his eyes dancing maliciously. "Last I checked, Police Girl, this was _my _residence. Are you trying to tell me I can't go where I please?"

"No, Master," she sighed in exasperation. "But you and I both know that it's no coincidence that you choose the moment I get out of the shower to walk in."

Alucard grinned. "What makes you think I haven't been here the whole time?"

Seras flushed momentarily before regaining her composure. "Master, I'm sure you've seen plenty of naked women before, _without _having to spy on them in the shower. If you tell me you're a common peeper, I'll think of you as desperate."

_That _caught Alucard off guard. Judging by his scowl, it seemed her insult had hit home, much to her amusement. Then she realized that the accuracy of her comment implied that he _had been_ watching her in the shower, and she promptly turned scarlet red from embarrassment and shame.

"Master… y-you didn't really…" she whimpered. Her bout with insecurity gave him the opportunity to recover his role as dominant, and his face returned to its usual knowing smirk.

"If I did or not," he replied, "doesn't matter. It is my right after all. You are _my _fledgling, _my _creation. Without me, you would not be here."

"Actually," Seras objected thoughtfully, "If you didn't exist, Hellsing wouldn't have sent me to Romania in the first place. I would never have met those thugs! Also, let's not forget whose bullet it was that killed me."

"I simply enabled you," Alucard retorted with an arrogant wave of his hand. "You went from an ordinary human to a magnificent midian."

Seras shook her head in disbelief. "You really think you did me a favor, don't you?"

"You're having regrets?"

"N-not exactly," she said quickly, shrinking away from him. "It's just a big change, okay? I need some time to adjust."

"I'm aware," he said impatiently. "Am I not allowing you to live as a human for a time?"

Seras looked briefly around the comfortable room, realizing it was all temporary. He would make her comfortable in the beginning, pushing her slowly into a life as a vampire, until she was sleeping in dingy dungeons in a coffin bed. She shivered, hating the idea of a dark, stony prison like she had witnessed in his castle.

Alucard rolled his eyes, no doubt reading her thoughts. "Police Girl, I already told you, I don't live in that castle. I enjoy modern accommodations as much as you do, regardless of their "necessity" to my comfort. As for the benefits of sleeping in a coffin… that is something you will come to understand with time."

Seras glowered at the prospect of having to sleep in a coffin. "Master, I need you to leave so I can get dressed," she said at last.

"I thought we'd already established that I've already seen you naked," he said flatly, maintaining his position on the bed.

"That doesn't make it okay!" she exclaimed. "Master, get out!"

Laughing loudly, Alucard rose from the bed, slowly making his way towards the door. As he passed Seras, he reached out, grabbing both her hands and forcing them above her head, causing her towel to drop to the floor.

Seras felt angry tears spring into her eyes, and found herself looking down, unable to make eye contact with her master. Even knowing he had seen her bare before, she still somehow felt that it was wrong, that he had no right to look at her.

She saw him reach for her and instinctively tugged away, wrapping her arms around her body to try to cover herself as best as she could.

"Please, Master," she murmured desperately, refusing to cry in front of him in spite of the tears piling up in the corners of her eyes.

Alucard sighed and pulled away. "Relax, Police Girl," he said, sounding bored.

By the time Seras found the courage to meet his eyes, she found nothing but empty air where he had been seconds ago. She peered quickly around the room, to make sure that he was really gone, and then she finally allowed herself to sniffle and cry in embarrassment, retrieving her towel from the floor and covering herself desperately.

Her tears were short-lived, and she quickly regained control of her emotions as she set to work selecting a new outfit for the evening. The selection had not been updated from the skimpy things she had found the night before, but she now looked at them with new interest.

Men were drawn to inappropriate clothes. The quicker she could hook a man, the sooner she could eat. With this in mind, she managed to take a bigger risk with her outfit, and found a plaid mini-skirt and dark black shirt that fit very nicely over her curves leaving little to the imagination. The skirt rode low on her hips, so a pale strip of toned stomach was revealed just below her shirt. She again donned the combat boots, adding thigh-high black stockings beforehand.

She checked her appearance in the mirror and, deciding something was lacking, added a few bangles to her wrists as well as a large pair of hoop earrings. Satisfied, she went in search of her master.

It was like déjà vu finding him sitting in the other room just as she had the night before. He seemed amused by her choice of clothes.

"You're learning," he approved. Seras, refusing to acknowledge her weakness a few minutes ago, merely nodded in agreement. "Unfortunately, Police Girl, we're not hunting tonight," Alucard continued.

"N-no, Master?" Seras tried not to let her disappointment show. Nothing got passed Alucard. He grinned at her with delight.

"Don't be too sad, my little fledgling," he teased. "Opportunities can present themselves at any moment."

"Then what are we doing tonight?" Seras wonder a little apprehensively.

Alucard rose from the couch, towering over her at his full-height. "What sort of master would I be if I didn't properly train my fledgling?" he asked playfully.

"Train?" she whispered, shrinking.

"Combat," he said simply.

"I know combat!" she objected. "I was a soldier!"

Alucard scoffed. "You know _human _combat. You are a draculina now, and I am going to teach you the dark ways of the undead. Transformation, phasing, flight, hypnosis… these are all things you will need to learn before we are ready."

"Ready for what?" she couldn't help asking.

"For war, Seras," he said, and for a moment he looked entirely manic, his eyes alight with fire, his grin as wide as his face.

Seras did not bother to hide her shock. "War?" she repeated. "Against whom?"

Alucard bent towards her, placing his hands on her shoulders. Had he not been a blood-crazed vampire, Seras might have though he was leaning in to kiss her. "Who do you think, Seras?" Alucard inquired silkily. "Who do we have the right to hate, to strike against? Who has thwarted my every forward step? Who was it that sent you to your death?"

Seras stared at him in bewilderment until the answer suddenly hit her. "Hellsing," she breathed, a strange leap in her heart.

Alucard ran a gloved hand across her cheek, smirking. "Very good," he murmured, watching her with interest.

"This is why you chose me, isn't it?" she said in realization. "The reason you offered to turn me into a vampire."

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned," he said softly. "You have vengeance in your eyes, my Police Girl, and anger in your heart. I want to see that unleashed on Hellsing ten-fold. I want to laugh as one of my own blood, a creature of their own making, destroys them."

"Master," she said, a little breathless, as though she was held in a trance, "why not destroy Hellsing yourself? Surely you are more than powerful enough."

"Perhaps, Police Girl, perhaps," he agreed. "But isn't it so much more entertaining this way? They sent me such a beautiful gift. It only seems fitting that I should send them one as well." He brushed the line of her face with his thumb, his enjoyment apparent. "And you need not worry. By the time I have finished training you, you will be able to crush them with ease."

"And if I can't?" she asked quietly. "If Hellsing is too great a foe for me, will you, just like they did, send me to my death?"

Alucard growled possessively. "What is mine is mine, and I will not let God or Hellsing or anything else take it from me."

Seras found a strange sensation of warmth spreading throughout her body. Her master would protect her if it came to it, that she was sure of. But she knew she could not rely only on his strength. She needed to become strong on her own so that she could take her revenge and make her master proud. So that she could become a vampire worthy of his protection.

"I guess we should get to work," she said, smiling slightly.

"I'm pleased to find you so eager, Police Girl," he grinned, pulling her towards him. "You will be a fine nosferatu yet, I am sure of it."

"With you as my Master, how could I not be?" she replied brightly.

Alucard's grin only grew as the shadows engulfed them, taking them to their next destination.

* * *

><p>Just for clarification, no I don't hate the Hellsing Organization. But one of the reasons I typically write "AU" stories, particularly this one, is because I like the idea of Alucard raising Seras outside of the confines of Hellsing and Integra. I feel like if you remove the Alucard-Integra Servant-Master bond, it gives Alucard free range with his fledgling, to raise her the way that he wants to. It's just an idea that I like to play with in my head. ;) As always, reviews are greatly appreciated!<p> 


	6. Deep in Shadow

Hello, readers. It's been quite a long time since I last worked on this fic, and for that I apologize. I was lacking in inspiration... I will do my best to finish it from here on out.

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><p><strong>Chapter Six - <strong>**Deep In Shadow**

A crimson moon shone bright in the sky above the vast, open field. The grass was long, almost as high as Seras' waist, but it felt feather soft as it brushed against her exposed skin.

"Master, where are we?" she whispered, scrutinizing the strange, new landscape.

"A world of my creating," Alucard replied softly, brushing a gloved hand through the unearthly foliage. "You could say that at this moment, you are inside my mind."

Seras blinked momentarily, uncertain of how to react to this new information. She stared up into the starless night and sighed wistfully. "It's beautiful," she murmured, basking in the ruby glow.

Alucard grinned broadly. "It will serve well as an arena for training," he replied. "It is here in this illusion that we will sharpen your skills and transform you into a true creature of darkness."

Seras nodded determinately. "I'm ready," she informed him, flexing her fingers at her side.

Slowly, Alucard reached into his trench coat and removed the handgun he had asked her to shoot her first victim with.

Seras stretched a hand towards him to accept the weapon, but Alucard suddenly pointed it at her and pulled the trigger.

"Dodge," he commanded.

Seras felt the world screech to a halt, a shock of red consuming her vision as the small, glimmering bullet rushed towards her through the air. It was careening towards her left eye with perfect accuracy.

But then instinct took over. As if in slow motion, she stepped sideways. Not through normal space, but into darkness. Away from reality and into the cool shadows of her inner mind.

Then time returned, and she hit the ground hard, rolling through the tall grass until her momentum finally died. Winded, she lay breathless on the ground for a moment, amazed that she could still see with both eyes and that the bullet had not found its mark.

Slowly, she regained her sense of balance and sat up, peering through the tall grass.

Alucard stood at the top of a grassy hill some hundred yards away, the handgun limp at his side. He was very still for a moment, but then turned his head quickly in her direction, as though he had finally caught her scent.

Seras scrambled to her feet, now in a half-crouched defensive position should he attempt to attack again.

Alucard vanished from the hill.

Seras felt rather than heard him materialize behind her. She quickly changed her angle so that she could see him clearly. He was grinning maniacally.

"Brilliant, Police Girl," he applauded, clapping his gloved hands mutely together. "I expected you to use your vampiric speed. But this! This I did not expect from you."

Seras bristled. She could tell she was being praised, but the mocking manner Alucard spoke in sucked all her enjoyment out of it. "Master… what just happened?" she couldn't help wondering, brushing off her dirtied clothes.

"You used a portal, Police Girl!" he replied, his eyes flashing excitedly.

"A portal?" she repeated, mulling over the term for a moment. "You mean like the one that brought us here? Or the one that we used to reach New York?"

"Precisely," he breathed, leering towards her. Seras was not sure why, but she had the very distinct feeling that she was being hunted. She had a faint desire to step backwards, but she refrained.

"I'm not even sure how I managed to do that," she said softly, trying to recall the thought that had passed through her mind in that moment.

"You have good instincts, my dear," Alucard praised her. "Continue to rely on them until your mind follows. Now, try to do it again," he instructed, raising the gun to her face once more.

There was no sense of time in Alucard's small mental world. They might have been there for days, or perhaps for mere hours, before Seras mastered the technique behind generating portals. However, before long, Seras felt fatigue seize her. As she generated another portal, she watched as it flickered into nothingness, and she stumbled forward, clutching her head.

Alucard was there to catch her when she started to fall. He lifted her into his arms bridal style and carried her through a portal of his own creation. Seras was only vaguely aware of the situation.

Alucard returned her to her bedroom in Paris and laid her on the bed to rest.

When Seras awoke again, she felt recharged but famished. In a haze of hunger, she stumbled from her bed, still dressed in her clothes from the previous evening, and wandered into the main living area. Faint rays of sunlight fell through the closed curtains.

_It's daytime_, Seras realized. _Master is probably sleeping._

In the Paris flat, there was only one other adjoining room. Seras could only assume that was where Alucard resided.

Tentatively, she approached the door and opened it, stepping into her master's chambers. This room had no windows, no bed, and the floor and walls were a dull shade of gray. The only furniture in the room was a throne-like chair, the same one Seras had seen in Castle Draculae, and a small side table. On the table rested an empty glass and Alucard's orange-lensed glasses.

The only other thing in the room was a coffin, the sleek, black one from the bowels of the castle that Seras had originally encountered on her trip to Romania. She read again the bright red insignia on its lid.

_The bird of hermes is my name, eating my wings to make me tame._

"Master," Seras called softly, kneeling beside the coffin.

There was no response.

Uncertain, Seras glanced briefly around the room, as though checking to make sure she was alone. Then, gingerly, she placed her hands on the coffin's lid and slowly pried it open.

"_What _have I told you about touching my coffin, Police Girl?" a cold voice asked behind her.

Seras froze, shivers scattering across the surface of her skin.

"M-master," she mumbled, slowly replacing the lid and turning to face him. Alucard was not angry as she had expected, but rather amused. He looked as though he'd just woken, wearing only a loose shirt and pants. His dark hair cascaded around his face in an almost seductive manner.

"I'm sorry, Master," Seras blurted out. "I was just-,"

"You're hungry," he stated looking down at her.

Seras blushed, then nodded fervently.

Alucard grinned. "You don't need my permission to feed, Police Girl. There are plenty of potential meals nearby. Just be discreet, and you can have all the fun you want."

Seras nodded slowly, uncertain about the concept of feeding without her master at her side.

"Don't be so timid, Police Girl," Alucard drawled. "You cannot expect me to baby step you through every moment of being a vampire. There will come a time when I will not be behind you, guarding you. You will have to stand on your own two feet and fight or die."

Seras' eyes widened slightly, but she tried to conceal the heavy weight his words left on her by keeping her expression neutral.

Having said his piece, Alucard seemed unwilling to stay awake any longer. He brushed past her and lowered himself into his coffin directly through the lid.

"Be careful of the sun," Alucard's voice called mockingly through the lid.

"I already knew that," Seras grumbled, rising from her knees and stalking towards the bedroom door. "What I didn't know is that you would stand by and watch me die." These last words she said in a barely audible whisper as she closed the door behind her.

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><p>Seras slowly paced in front of the elevator outside the Paris flat, her trench coat firmly in place on her shoulders, the collar popped to hide the skin of her neck. She wore dark sunglasses and a broad-rimmed hat to help ward off the sun.<p>

"I look too suspicious," she sighed, catching a glimpse of herself in a decorative mirror on the nearby wall. But sunlight was sunlight, and she couldn't expose herself to it. And she was much to hungry to wait until nightfall to feed.

The elevator chimed and the doors slid open, revealing the empty wooden interior. Seras quickly entered and pressed the lobby button, tapping her foot impatiently as she waited for the doors to close.

Even with her trench coat and hat, Seras still found herself clinging to the awnings of the buildings as she made her way down the bright Paris street.

_I need some darker glasses, _she griped to herself, blinking repeatedly.

All in all, coming out in the day was a terrible idea. Even with her hunger roaring in her ears, she found herself regretting the decision as she shuffled onward. She caught glimpses of people staring at her uneasily through her sun-dazed eyes.

_I should find a bar or something, _she decided, _something indoors where I can hunt in peace._

About ten minutes later, she lucked out when she passed a theater.

Having no money on her, she slipped carefully down the alleyway adjoining the theater to seek out a back entrance.

In the shadows, she stripped off her coat, hat and glasses and stashed them behind a corner. Looking distinctly less suspicious, she knocked on the back theater door.

As it slowly opened, a middle-aged woman appeared, staring down at her skeptically.

She said something abrasive to Seras in French.

Seras was met with the sudden realization that she didn't know an ounce of the native language. Aided by her hungry thoughts, panic quickly set in.

She had no choice but to react quickly.

In an instant, Seras had forced her way into the door and had her hand over the woman's mouth, backing her into a shadowy corner. She bit down without a moment's delay, drinking deeply of the woman's lifeforce.

_Nothing personal, _she thought as she finished the woman.

As the body collapsed to the floor, Seras remembered that she needed to destroy the brain to prevent the woman from rising again as a ghoul. She had no gun, and quickly searched the nearby area for something else that could be used as a weapon.

She was not fast enough.

A low groan issued from the ground as the woman began to rise from the dead.

Seras cast around the room once more. At least so far, the commotion had gone unnoticed by the distant stage hands.

Seeing no other choice, Seras pushed the woman back onto the ground, placing her boot over her head. "Sorry about this," she murmured. She stepped down with all her might, sending flecks of blood through the air, some of it landing on her torso and face.

"Oi, 'oo iz eet?" A frenchman called down the hall, catching sight of Seras.

"Shit," Seras murmured, realizing what the situation looked like at best. Hastily, she conjured the image of her room in the Paris flat and created a portal, running through it before she could be caught.

She hit the ground hard, panting, blood dripping from her mouth onto the carpeted floor.

"You seem to have made a mess, Police Girl," Alucard observed, materializing on the foot of the bed so that he was barely a foot from where she crouched.

"Master," she sighed, looking up at him.

His face boasted of disappointment. "Didn't I tell you to be subtle? Now you've left the blood of a murder victim on the floor. _And _you were seen. At this point we'll have to vacate, or fight. And, as much as I enjoy the latter, _I _understand the concept of discretion."

Seras could not even think of an excuse for her actions. _I was hungry._ But that wasn't good enough. She was pathetic. She had been so engrossed in her physical feelings that she had thrown her intelligence out the window.

Her shoulders slumped as she sat back on the balls of her feet. She kept her head low so that she would not have to make eye contact with Alucard. Shame did not even begin to cover the feeling of disappointing her master. It cut into her deeply, like a hot knife through butter.

"Forgive me, Master," she whispered. "It won't happen again."

"I'll hold you to that, Police Girl," Alucard replied darkly. "But an apology alone is not enough. You still must face your punishment."

Seras felt her heart sink. "Y-yes, sir," she murmured, staring intently at her trembling, blood soaked hands in her lap.

"However, first we must go," Alucard said decisively, rising from the bed. A gloved hand appeared in front of her face, outstretched, ready to receive her. Seras stared at it momentarily with disbelief.

"Master…?" she said questioningly. It was beyond her scope of understanding that he would dare to touch her, let alone help her off the ground. Wasn't she too great of a disappointment?

"You may be a disappointment, Police Girl, but you are still mine," Alucard replied, no doubt peering into her personal thoughts. "I will not throw you away so casually."

Seras felt a tremor of warmth rush through her bones. Slowly, she slipped her much smaller hand into his, feeling the silken texture of the glove. Alucard gave a careful tug and Seras sprang from the floor.

"How far will you follow me?" he asked quietly, leaning towards her so that their faces were barely half a foot apart.

"To the ends of the earth, my master." The words tumbled out of her mouth before she had time to think about them. Yet, when she considered them, Seras realized that she had spoken the truth.

Alucard looked pleased. With a toothy grin, he asked, "How do you feel about Siberia, Police Girl?"


	7. Blood Lust

**Chapter Seven - Blood Lust**

Seras exhaled slowly, watching her breath rise in the icy air. The temperature meant almost nothing to her. Being dead, vampires have no sense of hot or cold. The only real way in which it affected her was that she looked horribly out of place standing in the gray, frozen wasteland wearing a sleeveless black corset top.

It mattered very little since there was no one around to see. The small house Alucard had prepared for them stood alone in the wilderness, with no sign of another structure for miles.

"Inside, Police Girl," Alucard instructed. "Before you are seen in that outfit."

"I don't think there's much chance of that, Master," she pointed out, but nonetheless she trotted after him towards the house.

In an odd display of an awareness for human objects, Alucard opened the door for her, and followed her through instead of phasing through a wall.

By the time the door had clicked shut behind them, Seras was already busy inspecting her new environment. It was essentially little more than a large, split level room. There was a rustic, ceiling high stone fireplace in the middle, surrounded by plush couches and fur rugs. A table with four chairs and a small kitchen area stood off to the left. Through an ajar door to the right, Seras could see a small bathroom.

There was also a crude, wooden staircase that led to a loft. Seras took it, now in search of her sleeping quarters. At the top of the stairs, there was indeed a bed, but only one, and directly in front of it were _two _coffins. One she recognized immediately as Alucard's. The other…

"You cannot continue to sleep in a bed, Police Girl," Alucard told her coldly. It took Seras a long, confusing moment to realize he was levitating just beyond the loft railing, his eyes dark and thoughtful.

Seras swallowed hard as she looked down at the plain wooden coffin. She tried to imagine being locked in a box while she slept, and an slow chill permeated her flesh. "I'll try," she grumbled, shifting uneasily. "But why do we have a bed if you insist on my sleeping in a coffin?"

"For keeping up appearances," Alucard shrugged. "And… other things."

"Other…?" Seras began. She half-turned just in time to see Alucard right behind her. His strong hands enclosed on her shoulders and with a soft _flump _they fell onto the bed. Alucard's large frame trapped Seras like a cage, tendrils of dark hair showering down on her.

"There's still the matter of your punishment, my draculina," he hissed darkly, his eyes alight with mischief.

Seras went as stiff as a board, staring up at him with confusion and shock. "M-Master, what are you-?"

A gloved finger on her lips silenced her. Seras stared up into his pallid features, transfixed.

"You caused me quite a lot of trouble, Police Girl," Alucard reminded her. "Don't you owe me some compensation for my troubles?"

Seras took a deep breath. "Y-you want… my body?" she asked quietly, feeling ice creep into her veins.

Alucard pressed a hand to the side of her face and then traced it downwards along the nape of her neck and into the valley of her breasts. Seras shivered, suddenly wishing she'd dressed more modestly.

"Master…" she whispered, looking away, her face red.

"Yes, Seras?" He bent forward, his long tongue slipping from his mouth. Seras shivered as she felt it glide over the smooth expanse of her neck.

She wondered if she should fight against him. Would he stop if she asked him to? She had told him before that her virginity was special to her. Would Alucard really take it so casually?

Seras already knew the answer. To Alucard, she was a dispensable tool. And tools are meant to be used. If they cannot be used, they are thrown away.

Concluding this, she bit back her impulse to protest. She lay very still on the bed, trying to overcome the sensation of her master licking her throat. It was hard to do, since the sensitivity in her neck and collarbone caused her to twist uncomfortably, a strange heat washing over her.

Alucard drew back momentarily and stared down at her, his eyes cryptic as he gauged the situation. Seras realized that she was strangely out of breath, as though she had just been running. Her heart hammered wildly in her ribcage.

A slow smirk spread across Alucard's lips. "Enjoying yourself, Police Girl?" he inquired.

Flushing, Seras hastily shot back, "No! You're the one who pushed me down like this. If anyone is enjoying themselves it should be you!"

Alucard laughed softly. "I assure you, Police Girl, I am enjoying myself thoroughly."

With that, he leaned forward once more, and this time grazed the skin of her neck with his fangs, leaving faint trails of blood. Seras gasped and started to struggle, but Alucard held her fast.

"As much as I have a desire to rip this fabric off and claim you," Alucard began, his fingers playing with the drawstring of her corset, "Your punishment is nothing so simple."

"Simple?" Seras demanded. Wasn't he talking about rape?

"It would hardly be a punishment by the time we had finished," he continued. His fingers stopped playing with the corset strings and slipped into the lacing so that they could brush the bare skin of her chest. "Therefore, I have decided to make a meal out of you."

"W-w-what?"

Seras had a sudden flashback to the night she had killed her first victim.

_I was referring to the interaction that occurs between two vampires when blood is exchanged._

"But Master, I thought you said you weren't going to take advantage of me," she blurted out.

Alucard grinned. "Not to worry, my pretty little virgin, I have self-control. I am far more concerned by your ability to control your primal instincts. If you try to seduce me, I cannot promise that I will refuse you." He trailed his tongue across the beads of blood that had accumulated on her neck.

Seras realized that she was shivering, and she could not tell if it was from fear or excitement.

Before she could raise any further protest, Alucard opened his fanged jowls wide and bit down hard on her neck, dousing the bed with crimson blood. Seras cried out in pain, tears pooling in her eyes. Yet something about the pain felt quite pleasant.

She squirmed and twisted, kicking at the soiled blankets, whimpering as the feeling of pain slowly melted into something hot and desperate, something euphoric.

"M-master!" she gasped, her fingers closing on the fabric of his shoulders. At first she tried to push him away, but as the hazy, lustful feeling grew within her, she found her fingers twisting into his dark, silken hair and holding him to her. The smell of coppery blood filled the air, driving her senses wild.

The heat that pulsed throughout her body seemed to concentrate itself between her legs. Seras may have been a virgin, but she was not stupid, and she realized very quickly that the new sensation was arousal. Embarrassed, she twisted to keep her legs shut tight.

The steady drain of blood started to slow, and then Alucard pulled back a little and began to lick the wound he had created, healing it. The feel of his tongue on her skin now felt toxic and erotic. Seras could not quite stifle the moan that escaped her lips.

Alucard chuckled against her flesh.

Seras bit her lip in shame. "Master, please don't…" she mumbled.

Alucard drew back and looked down at her, trails of blood leaking from the corners of his mouth. "Honestly, I'm a little disappointed," he murmured, leaning his face close to hers. A droplet of blood fell from his chin and landed on her ivory cheek, staining it red.

"I'm so sorry that my blood isn't appetizing," Seras snapped, feeling insulted.

Alucard grinned. "Police Girl, your blood is nothing short of criminal. I am more disappointed by your sudden overage of self-control. Or perhaps I am losing my touch."

Seras gaped at him. He had made her twist and writhe with a simple bite. Yet he was dissatisfied with her reaction? "Tell me, Master, exactly what were you hoping for?"

"Blood lust," he breathed, his eyes flashing at the mere mention of it.

Seras cocked an eyebrow at him.

Alucard sighed in annoyance and withdrew from her altogether. "Someday you will understand," he said vaguely. His tongue slithered from his mouth to lap up the smears of blood on his lower jaw. He paused thoughtfully, his eyes humming from the blood. "I'll be going out tonight, Police Girl. Don't leave the house."

Seras felt a brief wave of uncertainty wash over her heart, but she quickly stifled it, and forced herself to smile. "I can handle myself, Master. It's not like there's anything around for me to hunt anyway."

Alucard gave her a doubtful smirk. "When I can trust you to feed yourself without having to uproot our lives, perhaps then I'll allow you to go out on your own again. For now, consider yourself my prisoner." He flashed a toothy grin, placing his orange-lensed shades over his eyes with one hand and capping himself with a red fedora with the other.

Right before her eyes, his presence faded into nothingness, leaving her alone in their new abode.

"Prisoner, huh?" she repeated flatly, still staring at where he had just been. "Somehow I already knew that." Seras fell back on the bed, taking some careful time to reflect on her strange new un-life.

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><p>AN: Sorry for the confusion last chapter guys, but I didn't intentionally introduce/hint at Pip. It was just an ordinary frenchmen. They all have similar accents I think? XD But not to worry! We'll be having some run-ins with our other favorite Hellsing characters very soon! ;)


	8. Kindling

**Chapter 8 - Kindling**

Seras sat on the edge of the bed, staring intently at the wooden coffin at her feet, considering it.

_You are my prisoner._

How true those words were! If Alucard had told her to take her own life, she probably would have done it. Briefly, she wondered if all master-fledgling relationships were the same. Instinctively, she knew such was the case, at least to an extent. The loyalty and submission she felt towards the elder vampire ran bone deep, as though it would be a violation of her nature _not _to obey him. On a more reasonable level, she recalled that she had already developed a certain fascination with her master even before he turned her.

Perhaps that made her fledgling tendencies stronger.

Concluding as much, Seras returned to her original dilemma; where to spend the day. The sun was rising, and her body ached to be asleep. She knew that her master would want her to use the new coffin. However, some small part of her was still repulsed by the thought of being encased so narrowly in a wooden box like a corpse.

The bed was not much better as a sleeping arrangement. The right hand bottom corner of it was sticky with old blood. _Her _blood. The foul smell of it was making her vampiric nose wrinkle in disgust.

With a sigh, she resigned herself to the fated resting place of the undead and climbed into her coffin. Though the outside was plain, the inside was lined with plush, white silk, and there was even a pillow for her in there.

It was not so hard to get comfortable. She felt a deep sense of belonging in the small space, feeling secure as she settled down.

"I guess I could get used to this," she mumbled, eyelids drooping sleepily. "And at least Master will be pleased with me for a change."

With a large yawn, she rolled onto her side and slowly drifted off into the world of dreams.

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><p>"Seras…"<p>

Seras flopped onto her back in the coffin, blinking groggily.

"Mmm….Master?" she murmured questioningly. "Isn't it daytime?"

She saw a glint of white teeth above her through her blurry vision. "Indeed it is, but I have brought you something."

Seras yawned as she looked up at him, inhaling deeply. Then she paused and breathed in again, her tongue tasting the air. That smell…

_Human._

"Dinner," Alucard grinned.

Seras sat up in confusion. He had brought her food? "Master, you don't have to feed me," she murmured in embarrassment. "I can hunt for myself."

"On the contrary, I overestimated your control of your thirst," Alucard replied coldly. "Until you can retain your senses while you drink, I will be providing for you."

Seras made a face, but nonetheless, she rose from the coffin and bypassed her Master to peer over the loft railing. Down below on an antique couch sat two young women, their eyes clouded and disfocused.

_Two? _Seras demanded mentally, unconsciously running her tongue over her lengthening canines.

Alucard chuckled. _Don't get greedy, Police Girl. One is for me._

Seras tried not to let her disappointment show. And then for a brief moment, her mind balked and she saw herself the way a human would. How far had she sunk in the mere week since she had become a vampire? Her only regret in ending human life was that she could not end more of it?

She grimaced, feeling momentarily ashamed. Perhaps it was because she had been reared by a vampire. Blood was necessary for vampires to survive. But still, she could have become like Everett, drinking only medical blood to spare human life. She could have become a 'good' vampire.

"You chose the wrong master to become a 'good' vampire, Police Girl," Alucard said aloud, prying into her thoughts.

Seras flushed, flashing him a quick glare as she often did when she caught him reading her mind. "I didn't exactly _choose _you, Master," she replied tartly.

"Didn't you?" he wondered coyly, grinning down at her.

Seras glowered. "No, I didn't! I chose to keep myself from getting obliterated! Though ironically, you were the one that shot me," she added thoughtfully, considering the situation. As she thought back over the incident that had robbed her of her humanity, she began to notice that something was not quite right. "Master," she said after a long pause, "You shot me on purpose, didn't you?"

"You already knew that, Police Girl," he replied malevolently, his eyes two pits of fire. It seemed the conversation was exciting that blood-thirsty, insane monster he kept subdued most of the time.

"No," she said, shaking her head vigorously. "I mean you could have saved me without shooting me, couldn't you?"

Alucard raised an eyebrow at her, smirking shamelessly. "What are you implying, Police Girl?"

Feeling annoyed, both by her realization and by his attitude, Seras folded her arms angrily over her breasts and huffed under her breath. "I find it hard to believe that a vampire as powerful as you would be unable to save a hostage from a single human in such a situation," she grumbled.

Alucard's grin could only grow. "You flatter me, Police Girl," he said mockingly. "However, I assure you, that terrifying human had me in an inescapable situation, where I could only make the hardest choice."

"Why do I not believe you?" she wondered, rolling her eyes.

"An excellent question, my Police Girl. You should trust your master."

"My _master_," Seras returned sarcastically, "Is none other than the infamous Vlad the Impaler, known for his cold betrayals and merciless blood lust."

Alucard burst out in a manic cackle. "I haven't heard that title in a while," he mused, looking down at her with intrigue. "So you knew, did you?"

"Everyone at Hellsing knows," Seras replied flatly. "And I did a little additional research of my own before my trip," she added quietly.

"Still," he leaned in close to her, capturing her chin, "you should trust your master. I will let no harm come to you, my little fledgling."

Seras felt a strange, unfamiliar heat wash through her body as Alucard's eyes bore into hers. Startled by the suddenness of it, she jerked away, her eyes lowered uncomfortably.

There was a tension in the air, thick and electric, as though time had stood still around them.

"Look at me, Seras," Alucard murmured, his breath on her face.

She felt almost giddy, and she could not figure out if it was because of his words, or because of the proximity. All she knew was that she was uncomfortable.

Slowly, she raised her eyes to meet his bloody orbs. The static atmosphere seemed to double as their gaze's connected. Seras felt her stomach tighten, and her breath caught in her throat.

Alucard's face slowly drifted closer to hers, their eyes locked, holding them almost magnetically. Seras found herself recalling the way his bite had felt, the sensation of teeth in her flesh. Unconsciously, her eyes flittered down to his lips.

The distance between them continued to decrease. A slow blush spread over Seras' face as she let him guide her closer, spellbound, unable to protest. The hazy heat clouded her mind and stifled her inhibitions.

Then, the soft sound of a startled voice floated to their ears, a brief smattering of Russian that Seras understood nothing of. The tension shattered.

Seras stepped back, flushing crimson even as she rushed to the rail to look down into the common area. "Master, one of the girls woke up!" she exclaimed, noting the panic in the young woman's previously passive, empty face.

Alucard did not respond for a moment. He was watching Seras carefully, his eyes alight with curiosity and… confusion? As though he could not decide what to make of her. Seras shrank under his heavy gaze.

"M-Master!" she said again, frustrated. "Do something before she screams!"

Alucard seemed to snap out of his reverie. "Even if she screamed, no one would hear," he said, waving his gloved hand dismissively.

Seras turned her attention back to the captive and watched as the woman's eyes clouded over once more, her face going blank. The young vampire frowned.

"Did your mind control slip?" she wondered aloud before she could think better of it.

She felt a wave of darkness collide with her spine, a spike of power setting the hair's on the back of her neck on end. Seras shuddered, turning back to face her master.

His expression was cold and not amused.

Seras grimaced, back peddling. "Ah, nevermind, Master," she said hastily, shifting nervously towards the staircase. "Shall we eat?"

Alucard followed her with his eyes as she shuffled down the first few steps, trying to get beyond his reach. She could sense a dangerous emotion radiating from him, but could not make sense of it. What had set him off?

Hoping to dispel his dark mood, Seras grinned cheekily, flashing her pearly white fangs. "Master, if you don't come eat, I'm going to take both of them for myself!" She hopped down a few more steps and then checked to see if he would follow her.

Alucard was now wearing a reluctantly amused expression, though his eyes remained pensive and distant. "Yes, Police Girl, I'm coming," he said, not bothering to hide the annoyance in his voice.

Seras sighed in relief and skipped down the remaining steps towards what would become her third victim. When she rounded the banister, Alucard was already at the bottom, waiting for her with his arms folded over his chest.

Startled, Seras momentarily froze, checking her master once again for any lingering aggression. His expression was neutral and unreadable. She took a deep breath and continued her approach towards her 'dinner'.

"Does it matter which one I have?" she asked, her eyes darting hungrily between the two girls. She could already smell their blood and hear their heartbeats.

"Take that one," Alucard instructed, gesturing to the girl who had awoken briefly from her trance. She had fair skin and long, dark, braided hair, but was not what you would call a beauty. Her eyes stared blankly into the opposite wall, unaware of her situation.

Seras glanced to the other girl, a short farm girl with hair the color of straw. She looked fresh and pretty, and was probably the sort of girl who would have broken many hearts.

Seras raised an eyebrow at her master. "Are you claiming that one just because she's attractive?" she accused. "If that's the case, then it's not fair. I should be sinking my teeth into a good-looking guy!"

Alucard grinned, sauntering over to his tiny meal. He took the young woman into his arms, pushing her head to the side so he could examine her neck. Seras watched with morbid fascination as he extended his long tongue and dragged across the pale, tender expanse of skin. She again sensed that surprising heated feeling, and found herself dwelling on the sensation of her master's bite.

A sharp, sudden pang of jealousy echoed through her body. It was not jealousy over there being another woman in Alucard's arms. It was jealousy of the woman who was about to feel his fangs. Fangs that she found herself wanting in her _own _neck.

Alucard's eyes flicked to her and a soft dark chuckle rose from his throat. Seras wondered if he had read her mind again. She flushed, but found herself unable to look away from the site of her master grazing his fangs over his victim's exposed flesh.

She had never seen him feed before, but there was something… erotic about it that captured her attention mercilessly.

Trying to cover her own lustful feelings, Seras hastily said, "What if I said _I_ wanted that girl? She looks tastier than mine."

Alucard smiled wickedly. "Then you'll have to forgive me, Police Girl. I cannot trade with you." He poised his mouth barely an inch above the girl's neck as though he meant to kiss it. However, his attention seemed focused on Seras as he said, "It seems that I have developed a taste for blondes."

And with that, he bit down into the supple flesh of the young Russian, claiming her life force for himself. All the while, he kept his burning, bloody eyes on Seras, as though he was imagining it was _her _blood he was consuming.

To her amazement, Seras found that she loved every gruesome moment of it.

* * *

><p>AN: So just to give you guys fair warning, this story will probably turn into an "M" at some point or another. Between the upcoming violence (Gasp! Spoiler!) and other *cough* activities, I feel it will be necessary. I have no intention of writing any hardcore smut (those I keep stashed in the bowels of my computer, lol ;D), but there will definitely be strong sexual themes of an undecided nature. Be forewarned! (I checked through some of my readers profiles and it seems most of you are into "M" anyway, so hopefully this will be a welcome change!) Anyway. Enjoy and Review!


	9. World on Fire

**Chapter Nine – World on Fire**

Seras sat by the crackling fire, watching it pensively. It was a dark, unnatural flame, red that flared into violent shades of purple and blue, burning with only a soft, muted light. Its very presence was a testament to her master's ego. He was showing off, as usual.

_Why does he feel the need to impress me? _she wondered, vaguely amused. _Surely he already knows that I will follow him anywhere without question._

It was near midnight, but Alucard had gone out again, leaving Seras in confinement. After they had fed together the previous evening – an experience Seras tried _not _to think about as it made her blush furiously – he had spent a few hours demonstrating a handful of simple tricks she could use her vampiric powers for. They had applied the same principal of creating portals to phasing through objects, and Seras had successfully managed to put her arm through the wall. However, she had panicked midway through the action and she found herself stuck in a strange state of matter that she could not quite make sense of.

Alucard had eventually rescued her, holding her a little _too _close as he used his powers to phase her body out of the wall. But he had only done so after laughing ruthlessly at her situation.

After her failed attempt at phasing, Alucard had proceeded to lecture her on the ways a vampire could be destroyed, taking a careful amount of time to explain that unlike her, he could _not _be killed by sunlight, beheading or even fire.

"_You never had a chance of fulfilling your mission, Police Girl," he told her smugly. "I cannot die." As was his desired effect, Seras shuddered at his words._

"_Isn't that lonely, Master?" she whispered before she could stop herself. Rather than fear, she felt pity. Alucard only watched her pensively, though she was certain he had heard her._

Finally, they had moved on to a unique distortion of a vampire's powers, a trick of Alucard's own invention. The undead flame. Seras had been entirely unable to master this particular ability. Not even a spark.

"_You don't have enough passion in you," Alucard explained, his disappointment apparent. "Unleash your anger or your agony. Right now your emotions are wrapped in layers of walls that will only inhibit you."_

"_Are you saying you _want_ me to be emotional?" she demanded, gaping at him._

_Alucard smirked. "If it's the right emotions, yes. No sorrow, no regret, no fear. But passion…. Passion is always welcome amongst our kind."_

Now, Seras had been abandonned once again. Her master had gone out, leaving her alone for the evening. She had been trying to practice creating a flame, but to no avail. It seemed Alucard was right; she was missing something.

Feeling distracted and annoyed, she gave up trying to be a better vampire and flopped onto her back on the long, leather couch, letting her arms fall over her head. She sighed in exasperation, wondering where her master was.

_How long are you going to keep me locked away here? _She wondered.

_Until you learn to control yourself, _came the cool reply.

Seras froze, amazed that he could read her mind even when they were apart. _Where are you, Master? _She asked apprehensively.

_That is none of your concern, Police Girl, _he replied icily. _Keep practicing._

Grumbling, Seras slowly sat up and went back to work.

* * *

><p>Life in Siberia began to take on a pattern. Eat, train, sleep. Eat, train, sleep. She was never allowed out of the house, not even for fresh air. Alucard, however, was frequently absent. What was he planning? Was he trying to torture her?<p>

Seras felt she might go mad from the continued confinement. Her only stabilizing force, ironically, was Alucard's presence. His company kept her entertained to an extent that she did not lose her mind altogether.

Days began to meld into weeks, and then weeks into months. Seras had entirely lost track of the time she had spent in the tiny cabin, slowly suffocating. She was sure Alucard could tell her sanity was slipping. Yet he continued to push her, forcing her mind to its limits.

In the months to come, Seras improved greatly as a vampire. She could walk through walls, levitate objects, create mind shields (though Alucard could still break through if he really tried)... Her speed and agility improved from hours and hours of combat practice, in which her main goal was to move about the house so that Alucard would not catch her and inflict some form of pain on her. She had even developed the ability to walk on walls.

The one thing she never mastered, however, was the undead flame, much to Alucard's continued disdain. Everytime she failed, he seemed to treat her a little more coldly. And every time his disappointment showed, her confidence dropped, and with it, so did her powers.

There were no more spellbinding moments, no more blushes or waves of heat. Their relationship seemed to have faded into something purely master-servant.

Seras had not previously considered there to be romance between them, but in the sudden absence of Alucard's playful banter, she began to realize what she had lost.

The rift in her mind began to stretch, pulling at her foundations.

She started to wonder if her master had come to regret taking her as a fledgling. Above all else, she prayed such was not the case. She had grown too dependent on him, and could not stand the thought of him throwing her away.

When had her feelings deepened beyond her fledgling loyalty? The pain she felt when he looked at her with disappointment in his dark eyes was no longer something she felt mentally. It had become something she felt in her very soul.

There came a day when she tried to phase through an object and ended up tripping over it as her body remained completely solid. The look she received from her master could have frozen hell.

More days of slipping control, slipping powers, nights spent curled in her coffin, waking from nightmares of Alucard terminating his disgraceful creation.

And then finally, she cracked.

It was during combat practice, when Alucard was again throwing wild attacks at her while she dodged clumsily. He managed to land a heavy blow and Seras careened into the far wall, her body shattering with the impact.

She slumped like a ragdoll to the ground, tears of pain falling freely from her eyes as her body slowly began to heal its breaks.

Suddenly, she felt anger burn inside of her, hot and hungry, craving revenge. As she rose from the ground, blood still dripping down her limbs, she was no longer willing to be thrown around while Alucard made up his mind about what to do with her. She was going to claim her own fate, by his will or not.

She came at him with renewed fury, her eyes blazing crimson and deadly. For the first time in a while, Alucard grinned at her.

"What's the matter, Police Girl?" he teased, easily dodging her haphazard swipe. "If you don't want to be treated like a punching bag then grow a backbone!"

Seras hissed, blood lust clouding her vision. She wanted to hit Alucard, claw his face, pin him to the ground and . . . . she paused in her vengeance startled by her own intentions. As much as she wanted to cause him pain, above all else, she wanted to _bite_ him, and not in an entirely aggressive way. The realization that she was craving intimacy with her master caught her off guard.

She stumbled in the middle of a vicious attempt at a punch. Alucard seized the opportunity and captured her arm, twisting until she heard the painful snap of a break.

Seras cried out, and fresh anger surged through her veins. She rounded on him with all her vampiric speed, claws unsheathed and ready to sink into flesh. Her fingers closed on empty air as her master vanished right before her eyes.

Seras growled, stooping low into a crouch, ready to spring at the location he would reappear. She sensed rather than saw him as he materialized about ten feet behind her, and had already sprung forward. Even Alucard was not fast enough to dodge her.

Seras collided with his chest and knocked them both backwards onto the ground. Alucard let out a low grunt as his back hit the wooden floor, and as he looked up at her, she saw that his eyes had begun to burn with a similar fury to hers.

Seras was not waiting to see what he would attempt. She punched him, as hard as she was able to. He spat blood onto the ground, and the smell of her master filled her senses as she went into a frenzy.

Long, clawed fingers raked down his chest, shredding the material. Seras grinned at the sight of the blood welling up beneath his white shirt, staining the garment red.

Alucard began to laugh with true delight, watching as his fledgling dominated him. He made no attempts to escape, but rather seemed to be enjoying himself.

"Good, Seras," he hissed approvingly. "Unleash your rage, your blood lust!"

In an instant, she was thrown backwards off him. She flipped through the air and then landed steadily on her feet, skidding to a halt. Alucard was already standing, his eyes alight with excitement. "Come at me again, Police Girl," he growled invitingly, beckoning her over with a gloved hand.

Seras, still aroused by the smell of her master's blood, took the invitation willingly. She sprinted back across the floor, heading straight for the elder vampire.

Alucard side-stepped her forward attack and caught her from behind as she ran past him. He yanked her flush against him, leaning down to whisper in her ear, "Take what you want, Seras. Let no one stand in your way."

Her eyes flashed eagerly, encouraged by his words. She phased out of his iron-like grip and aimed a careful kick at his face. This Alucard dodged as well. They fell into a rhythm of blows and careful steps, almost like a dance, each attacking in turn.

Deep down, Seras knew that her master was holding back, that he was going easy on her. However, that didn't stop her from trying her best to catch him and pin him down once again. She wanted to draw blood from him once more, and this time, she wanted to taste it.

The thought pulsed through her body, and her speed seemed to increase. Her hunger for his blood roared in her ears. Her fangs lengthened, her heart rate quickened. She _needed _to beat him. Her entire body cried out for it.

Finally, Alucard captured her by her wrists and forced her to the ground, following her. He kept her pinned beneath him, grinning triumphantly.

"As much as I would love to feel your fangs in my neck," he said smoothly, leering at her, "That is an experience you are not quite ready for, Police Girl. You are too young to handle the pleasure I have to offer."

Seras strained at his restricting grip, barely listening to his words. She could see the pulse of his veins, and she wanted to unleash it, to rip open his throat and drink in his essence.

Alucard growled aggressively, slamming her back into the floor so that her head smacked hard against the wood. This returned Seras to her senses, at least partially. Her hunger was still nothing short of painful. She was finally listening to her master, though.

"The flame," Alucard murmured, leaning close to her. "Conjure it for me. Concentrate all your rage and passion into it."

Seras blinked up at him, surprised. "Master, you know I can't-,"

"Silence, servant!" he hissed, his fingers digging into her wrists. "You are a child of my blood, and I will accept nothing less from you! Own up to your potential! Give me all your passion! Set the world on fire!"

Seras felt her heart race, her blood quicken. She was enthralled by his words, almost entranced, her eyes watching his mouth curiously. She felt that tension build in the air, that strange moment of immobilized time.

She looked deep inside herself, past the humanity, past the blood lust, past the fear. She reached deep into what it was that made her a vampire, the dark power at the core of her being. Alucard's gift.

And as she seized it, warmth erupted throughout her body and the power rose from within her, filling her mind.

_Set the world on fire!_

She did. The room burst into dark, all-consuming vampiric flames, covering the walls, the ceiling, burning the miserable house that had become her prison.

Alucard began to laugh darkly, leaning back and looking around them at the growing wreckage. "Such potential!" he cackled, pulling her up into a sitting position. "You've done well, Police Girl," he murmured, leaning close, still on one knee in front of her. Seras began to blush, ducking her head down to hide her embarrassment as her master's much larger frame encased hers.

She was pulled hard against him, his hand tangled in her hair, pressing her face into his shoulder. His lips fell against her ear, and whispered, "Come, Seras, follow me further into the darkness. We have work to do."

Seras could not resist his call. She curled trustingly into him.

"Yes, sir, my master!"

* * *

><p>AN: Well, that concludes Seras' "Training days", a necessary part of the story, in my opinion. As much as I would have loved to jump head first into everything, Seras needed to first grow as a vampire, and to improve her relationship with Alucard. Now, on with the plot!


	10. At Any Cost

**Chapter Ten – At Any Cost**

The shadows slowly scattered into faint wisps of darkness, revealing the master vampire and his young fledgling. Alucard held Seras close, almost possessively, with no apparent intention of _ever _releasing her.

"Where are we now, Master?" Seras asked softly, taking in the dingy city street with a curious gaze. Cobbled stones lay underfoot, and the faint smell of cooked tomato floated through the night air.

"Italy," Alucard replied quietly. "More specifically, Florence."

Seras felt a sort of tension in the muscles of his chest, as though something was bothering him. "Master, is something wrong?" she couldn't help asking, looking up at him to try to gauge his expression. He wore his orange-lensed glasses, hiding his eyes from her.

"Police Girl," he said carefully. There was an unfamiliar tone to his voice. Reluctance, perhaps. Seras didn't like it. She didn't like the hesitance or the uncertainty. With a sigh, Alucard continued, "Inside this building is someone I would like for you to go and meet. I will wait out here."

"Master?" she said uneasily. His arms were still fast around her, holding her to him tightly.

Alucard looked down at her, and slowly placed his hand against the side of her face, caressing it. The tender action, the possessiveness in his stance, the grim line of his mouth. Something was wrong. Something was bothering Alucard. She continued to stare up at him questioningly, wondering if she should be afraid.

"You have nothing to fear," he assured her. "I already told you, I will not let God or anyone else take you from me."

Seras felt heat rushing through her. She recalled him saying those words some months ago when he had first turned her. However, only now was she beginning to understand them. Only recently had she come to realize what it meant to be owned by Alucard.

"Then I'll be back soon," she murmured, slowly pulling away. He released her reluctantly, and stood with crossed arms, watching her move towards the doorway he had indicated for her to enter.

Seras reached it, and looked back one last time at her master, completely perplexed by his actions. His face was passive and unreadable, but she could feel his eyes on her.

Slowly, she placed her trembling hand to the knob and turned, unsure of what awaited her inside.

* * *

><p>"Seras?"<p>

Shock registered in every bone of the young vampire's body as she stared into an all-too familiar face. Like a ghost from the past, she looked into the deep goldenrod eyes of the man she had come to know as a father.

"Everett," she breathed out, still unable to cope with the situation. Why had Alucard brought her here? How had he known?

Her foster-father took a step closer to her, his eyes reflecting equal surprise to her own. He was of an average height, with long silver-brown hair that he kept in a low ponytail at the base of his neck. He had a sort of beauty about him, with a smile that could make a woman's heart stop.

They stood in the living area of a low-grade apartment, complete with peeling floral wall paper and a faint mildew smell that made Seras wrinkle her nose. The two vampires squared off, trying to make sense of the unexpected meeting.

"Your eyes," Everett whispered, a tremor of anger in his voice.

Seras felt a rush of shame. Everett had never wanted her to face the cold immortality that he dwelled in. He had dreamt of more for her.

"Hellsing sent me to Romania," she murmured, dropping her face. She could feel tears gathering in her eyes.

She felt Everett's panic like a wave of heat, and it triggered something deep inside of her. A strange sense of superiority. She could see it now, in a way she never could before. That Everett was an inferior vampire. Not so weak as she had been when she was first turned. But stifled, like a flame with too little oxygen.

Slowly, she raised her bloody gaze to his golden one, and stared at him with uncertainty. "Why do you live like this?" she blurted out. "You're smothering your potential."

She watched the flicker of anguish in his expression. "I've lost you, my little Seras," he said with a sad smile. "A hand of darkness holds you tightly."

Seras sought within herself, seeking remorse. She found none of it.

"I am a vampire now," she replied. "A true monster."

"Yes," he agreed. "I can feel the power radiating from you. You've become strong."

She grinned crookedly at him. "You made me strong," she said gently. "You raised me to be a survivor. To fight for my existence."

Everett returned the smile, a bit more fully than before. "I suppose I did." He looked her over once again, his expression thoughtful. "Your sire must be quite strong," he noticed.

Seras smirked proudly. "Yes, I suppose he is, though I haven't exactly met any other vampires aside from you. However, he says he cannot die, and I believe him. He is, after all, the vampire Alucard, formerly known as the infamous Dracula."

For a moment, Everett only gaped at her. Then his expression flashed, and she felt the aggression roll off of him. "Seras, what have you done?" he snapped. "That man is more than a monster! He's pure evil!"

Seras frowned, taken aback by Everett's sudden change in mood. "He may be a monster, but so am I!" she snapped. "And he's not evil! He's just a little… demented…" She trailed off, casting around for a better word.

A dark chuckle resounded throughout the air. Seras felt her master's presence join them in the room. He materialized at her side, looking down at her with an expression of apparent amusement.

"Police Girl," he said, laying a hand on her shoulder. "For once, your 'father' is right. I _am _evil. And _you _are my captive. He is merely frustrated that he cannot save you."

Seras rolled her eyes. Alucard certainly did come off as evil. However, there was something deeper about him, something she couldn't describe.

Her master captured her chin, giving her a little jerk so that she was forced to make eye contact with him. "Don't assume that just because you've made me proud for one night that you are free to be disrespectful."

Seras smiled playfully up at him. "Yes, Master," she agreed.

He couldn't quite hold back the grin as he looked down at her. Finally, he tore away, pushing his lenses up the bridge of his nose. "I suppose you're wondering why I brought you here, Police Girl," he said, turning back to Everett. "It's with regards to this pathetic excuse for a vampire."

Seras bristled. She knew her master was right, that Everett was a weakling. But still, he was like a father to her. "What about Everett?" she huffed defensively.

Alucard smirked. "Hellsing's caught up to him."

Seras blanched, a deep, protective instinct rising in her. "Master," she whimpered, her eyes pleading. "You'll let me help him, won't you?"

Alucard glanced down at her, his eyes momentarily visible behind his sunglasses. There was a question in them, one she could not decipher.

"Hellsing is our enemy, isn't it?" she asked pointedly. "Won't this be a perfect chance to take out some of their forces?"

Alucard's lenses flashed and the eye contact was broken. "You make a valid point, Police Girl. However, there is only the question of motive…"

"Motive?" she repeated, confused. "I would have thought that was obvious. They tried to have me killed! They're trying to kill the man who raised me! Revenge, Master! I want revenge!"

Alucard exhaled slowly, a smile spreading across his lips. "Very well, my little fledgling. Destroy them all if you like! I might even enjoy the show. And you," he said to Everett. "You'll get to see how _real_ vampires do battle! Watch as daughter surpasses father! Though you never had the _chance _to surpass a child of mine... She will be more than a creature of darkness. She will become a no-life queen!"

Seras felt her cheeks burn brightly, flattered by her master's rare praises. A part of her realized that he was just trying to boast in front of Everett. However, she felt that there must be some truth to his words, that he really did have high hopes for her.

_Don't disappoint me, Police Girl, _he replied softly. _When Hellsing arrives, I want you to destroy them all. Send a message to Integra that a war has begun._

With a final nod, Seras readied herself for the coming onslaught, prepared to defend the man who had raised her, and to please the man who had given her new life. At any cost.

* * *

><p>AN: So I already have through to Ch.13 on this fic done, but I can't exactly release everything at once. I'm going to stagger it as I continue to write to try to give you guys semi-regular updates... as an apology for dropping this fic for several months


	11. Explosive

Chapter 11 - Explosive

Seras could not seem to cease her restless pacing. Everett had gone upstairs to sleep and prepare himself for the coming battle, leaving Alucard and Seras alone in the common area of the dingy house. Seras, however, could not sit still. She was constantly returning to the window, checking this way and that, looking for any sign of a threat.

"Calm down, Police Girl. It's not as though Hellsing will be marching down the street waving its banners," Alucard drawled. He was lounging on a threadbare couch, his boots on the rickety coffee table before him, looking quite unconcerned by the situation. Seras scowled at the sight.

"Well, Master, you look calm enough for the both of us," she muttered, folding her arms crossly. Alucard flashed her a roguish grin.

"Come join me," he said invitingly, indicating the spot next to him on the couch. "Perhaps it will help you relax."

Seras raised an eyebrow, certain that he was up to no good. At the very least, she was quite certain that being in such close confines to her master would do absolutely _nothing _to calm her. If anything, it would probably cause her heart to explode out of her chest, but that she would never admit. "I'm quite alright over here, Master," she replied curtly.

Alucard's grin grew, baring his fangs. "Police Girl, that was not a request."

Seras stiffened, her lips pursed. However, if Alucard _insisted_ she could hardly resist him. He was her master after all….

Slowly, she meandered over to him, pausing for just a moment before she sat down.

"Good girl," he said in a voice almost like a purr.

He laid an arm across her shoulder, pulling her tightly into the crook of his arm. Seras tensed and shivered, still unused to the physical contact. It baffled her. Why was Alucard suddenly so… touchy?

"Because I have plans for you, Seras Victoria," he whispered, leaning close to her and stroking a gloved finger beneath her chin.

Seras stiffened, entirely uncertain. There was heat flooding through her body, but an uneasy nervousness more dominantly paraded through her veins.

"Master," she whined, tugging away from him. "I'm not a toy!"

"I never said you were," he replied, smiling vaguely. He pulled her closer to him, pressing her head against his chest. "Rest, Police Girl. Rest while you still can."

Seras chanced a glance up at his face, surprised by the gesture. He was allowing her to sleep against him? "But Master-," she protested faintly.

Alucard silenced her with a look. "I assure you, I will awake you before any trouble arrives," he said darkly, absentmindedly running his fingers through her hair. Seras almost sighed at the gentle touch, pressing into him as she made herself comfortable. Alucard watched with amusement as she resituated herself against him, curling into a ball at his side.

"So trusting," he mused, again petting her as one would a cat.

Seras leaned into his palm momentarily. "You are my master," she said quietly. "I trust _you_."

Alucard grinned wickedly at her. "That might not be such a good idea, Police Girl. You have no idea how vulnerable you really are."

Seras did not draw back from him. "I trust you," she said again, firm and certain. Something had changed between them. Something deep and instinctual. He was still the master, and she still the servant, but underneath that, a strong bond had formed. Perhaps it had always been there, and Seras had only just recognized it. But now that she felt it, she could no longer treat her master with indifference.

Slowly, she leaned back into his chest, confident in the protection his arms could offer her.

Hell came swiftly and without hesitation.

Seras was jarred awake by the sound of flying rubble and cracking timber. She bolted upright and rolled from the couch, her entire body on edge and ready to pounce.

Alucard began to laugh, casually rising. "You finally woke up, Police Girl," he said with amusement. "I was wondering if you'd sleep through all the fun…"

Seras slowly straightened, re-orienting herself. The walls to the townhouse, though heavily battered, still stood, dust leaking from fresh cracks like smoke.

"Where's Everett?" she asked quickly.

Alucard shrugged as though he could care less. "Hiding or running, probably. That's what he does best after all."

Seras scowled at her master. In answer to her question, mere moments later, Everett came bounding down the stairs, his eyes wide. "They've come?" he blurted out, looking around frantically.

He caught sight of Alucard and Seras standing in the center of the room, and then of the wreckage behind them.

"They've elected to use the very inelegant method of blowing you to bits," Alucard replied coldly. "I hadn't realized Integra was so into explosives…"

"That's not Integra, that's…" Seras began, feeling her stomach do a back-flip. Alucard's eyes shot to her own as his mind bore into hers, seeking the desired information. He was less than pleased by what he found. Seras could only guess why, but she knew with certainty that long-range explosives were the specialty of a particular Hellsing squadron. The hired mercenaries; the Wild Geese. And their commander….

She had a sudden flash back to a cool, summer night when she was still a human.

_Seras sat on the edge of the patio rail, looking down across the back fields of the Hellsing Manor. Several squadrons were presently training, the small explosions of their guns winking like stars in the darkness._

_ "Shouldn't you be on a mission, mignonette?" came the familiar, gruff voice of Commander Pip Bernadette from behind her. His heavy French accent was unmistakable._

_ "Target eliminated," she said with a faint smile. "Now I've got the night off!" She turned to look at him, taking in the roguish appearance. His long orange-blond hair was coiled around his neck, his eyepatch gleaming in the moonlight. He was handsome, but in a rough, patchy way. His clothes were loose and casual, from his bomber's jacket to his green army pants. An unlit cigarette protruded from between his lips._

_ He looked down at Seras with his one good eye, grinning. " 'ow about joining me for a drink zen, Girlie?" he proposed, propping one boot on the rail beside her and leaning down towards her._

_ Seras sighed and rolled her eyes. Being the only female soldier, she was used to the passes from her peers and superiors. Though, to his credit, Pip was easily the most persistent. "That's alright, I think I'll get in some extra training," she replied dismissively._

_ Pip raised his brow, frowning slightly. "You're too cold, mon Cherie," he complained. "A man's going to get frostbite."_

_ Seras bit back a giggle. "Maybe men should learn when to subject themselves to the cold and when to keep indoors where it's warm."_

_ "I'm a bit of a gambler," he replied. "If zere's something zat I want, I'll go for eet even if ze odds are not in my favor."_

_ Seras felt a slow blush creep onto her cheeks. He really was the most persistent. "Sorry, Pip," she murmured. "It's nothing personal, I'm just not really looking for a man right now."_

_ "Fine by me, Girlie," he said with a cheeky grin. "I wasn't asking you to marry me. All I want eez a drink."_

_ Seras looked up at him, considering. His roguish charm might have been having an effect on her._

A low, warning growl brought Seras back to her senses. Alucard was watching her with eyes of fire, his expression dark.

Seras shuffled nervously, trying not to make eye contact. He could hardly resent her for being romantically interested in another man before they had ever met! Though that didn't seem to stop the cold, angry aura exuding from the elder vampire.

Everett was looking between the master and his child, confused by the sudden tension in the air. "So what is our plan? We wait until they break in?" he asked thoughtfully.

"A head on attack won't work with the Geese," Seras murmured. "We'll need to find out where they're based. I'm sure they've got this whole street rigged with bombs…"

"I'll leave it to you, Police Girl," Alucard said lazily, sauntering towards the stair case. "This will be an excellent training experience. Good luck." Alucard vanished into thin air before he'd reached the bottom stair, black mist scattering from the place where he'd stood.

"He's not going to help us?" Everett said flatly. "What the hell kind of master is he? Letting his fledgling do all the work…"

"He thinks I can handle it on my own," Seras muttered, feeling strangely exhausted for having just woken up. She flexed for a moment, stretching out her arms and legs while she pondered the dilemma. Where would Pip be hiding? From experience, she knew that he would be at least 500 feet away from his target, probably on an upper floor. That still didn't narrow down the search much….

"Alright, we'll have to create a perimeter and work our way out," she decided, looking back at Everett. "You can phase, right?"

Everett gave her a flat expression. "I may be weak, but I am _not _a fledgling," he grumbled. Seras grinned.

"Good, I'm fledgling enough for the both of us," she replied. "You go south, I'll go north. You work to the east and I'll move to the west. Start about 500ft out. Let's meet on the roof near here before we attack."

"Yes, ma'am," Everett replied sarcastically, amused to be taking orders from the girl he had raised. Seras flashed him another smile. There was something nostalgic about being with Everett again. As though they had never been apart. As though she had never gone to Romania…

With a final nod, the two went their separate ways to find the Hellsing forces and send them running back to England.


	12. The Loss of Innocence

**Chapter Twelve**

**The Loss of Innocence**

The moon was full and ripe in the sky overhead as the two vampires joined each other on the roof top.

"Any luck?" Everett asked quickly. He sounded out of breath, as though he'd been running. Seras shook her head, also feeling fatigued by the search. Everett scratched his head thoughtfully, looking skyward. "Should we create a wider search?" he wondered.

Seras frowned. "I don't think it will help. He can't be any farther than we checked and still have proper remote control. I just don't get it! We looked everywhere!"

"_Not _everywhere, Police Girl," a deep, lazy voice said into the midnight air.

"Huh? Master!" Seras called, perplexed. "Have you found them?"

"I am not going to do your job for you," came the disinterested response. "But might I ask, why are you so certain that they're high up?"

Seras processed the new information. Alucard was hinting that she was looking in the wrong place. But she'd done a full sweep of every likely building! The only place she hadn't looked…

"Underground!" she blurted out, feeling stupid for not having thought of it before. The Geese were a slippery bunch, and would not be adverse to wading through sewage to avoid direct confrontation with a vampire. "Everett, we need to start our search from scratch."

Everett was already bounding to the edge of the building. "I know where they'll be," he called over his shoulder. "It's the perfect place…"

Seras was amazed when Everett turned out to be right. She could hear the voices and feel the heartbeats of the individuals inside the old train tunnel, though her eyes found only shadowy tracks when she peered around the corner.

"There's an outlet," Everett murmured, leaning close so she could hear. "Hobos sometimes sleep down here."

Seras shot him a suspicious gaze which he quickly avoided.

Sighing, she stepped boldly into the darkness. "No time like the present," she muttered. "Let's get this over with! I was sleeping quite peacefully until they interrupted…"

"Are you going to kill them?" Everett asked quietly.

Seras paused, glancing over her shoulder. "Not if I can help it," she replied. "I liked some of these guys. But war is war, and they started this thing. If they attack, I can't exactly sit by and let them have their way, can I?"

Everett raised an eyebrow at her. "What happened to the innocent Seras I used to know?" he asked, his voice a little bitter.

Seras bristled. "She died," she snapped, turning and continuing down the long, dark tunnel. "She was sent to Romania on a suicide mission for protecting a vampire she cared about."

She could feel the guilt exuding from her former father. She should have just kept her mouth shut. With an angry sigh, she blurted out, "Look, Everett, it's not your fault." She paused, glancing back at him uneasily. "I didn't _have _to go to Romania. I could have run away. And honestly, I don't regret anything. As much as it surprises me, I _like _being a vampire. I _like _my master, even if he is a monster."

Everett quickened his pace so that he fell in beside her. He reached down and squeezed her hand reassuringly. "I'm sorry, Seras. For what it's worth, I'm truly sorry. I should have taken better care of you."

Seras smiled crookedly. "You did more for me than anyone else ever did. I never would have made it this far without you."

Further conversation was made impossible because they were nearing the supposed outlet. Seras shifted into a soft crouch as she reached the corner. She chanced a careful glance and saw a familiar sight.

About ten men were huddled together around a set-up of monitors, most of them clutching automatic weapons to their chests. One very familiar figure sat closest to the set-up, reclining in a folding chair and watching the screen with only a vague interest.

"Still no movement?" Commander Pip Bernadette said with disappointment. "What eez zis vampire doing? 'e must be one 'ell of a 'eavy sleeper to miss zose explosions!"

Seras took a deep breath and stepped into the middle of the camp. Almost immediately, about a dozen firearms were pointed at her face. She made no attempt to escape or move. Her eyes were on Pip, watching as the recognition took over his expression.

"Now zis eez a surprise!" he exclaimed, not bothering to hide his excitement. "You're ze last thing I expected to come across in Italy, Girlie. Zo, I guess I should not be so surpised! Integra mentioned zis vampire was a pet of yours, no?"

"If you commonly refer to your parents as 'pets', then yes," she replied pleasantly. "Well, I'm here to negotiate, before things get any harrier. This is one mission I cannot allow you to fulfill, Pip. And I'm willing to fight you over it."

Pip burst out laughing. He got to his feet, reminding her of their height differences. "I hate to 'urt you in anyway, mignonette, but orders are orders. Zat vampire 'as got to go. You should understand. But zen, you don't seem to obey orders zese days. Not zat I blame you. Everyone knows what's in Romania."

"Actually, I did go to Romania," Seras replied tartly. "And now I'm a vampire."

All the men started to laugh boldy this time. A few of them had lowered their guns, not deeming her a threat. "If you're a vampire, zen I'm Frankenstein!" Pip teased, leering at her.

Seras could tell this was going nowhere fast. "Pip, I really don't want to hurt you," she said in one last attempt at peace.

The response was more general laughter.

Seeing no other choice, Seras attacked.

She maintained a great deal of control, trying to wound but not kill. With Everett's help, they managed to restrain all but one of the men, who proceeded to start spraying the site with bullets in his panic, killing two of his own men in the process. Seras decided quickly that she needed to eat anyway, and this man had always been an annoyance during her time at Hellsing.

She quickly overwhelmed him and bit into his throat, draining him dry in front of Pip, the other Geese and Everett. She felt bold and shameless, but there was no further resistance after that.

"I'm going to make this simple," she said, stalking around them. Everett stood back in the shadows, watching. "You're going to go back to Hellsing, and you're going to tell Sir Integra that the vampire Alucard and his fledgling Seras Victoria invite all the forces of Hellsing to join them in Italy."

Pip's one good eye took her in carefully, traveling over her blood-stained clothes. "Why are you doing zis?" he asked quietly. "Zis isn't you, Girlie."

For a moment, Seras felt a hand clench on her heart. Then she regained herself. "I'm sorry, Pip," she replied softly, speaking for the moment only to him. "I served Hellsing faithfully for years and they sent me to my death. I cannot forgive so easily. Believe me when I say I wish things were different. I don't want to kill _any _of you. Most of you were my friends. However, I'll do what I have to do, just as you will. We're all just following orders, right?"

Pip stared resolutely up at her. "I suppose so," he replied with a slow smile. "You're still in zere, aren't you, Girlie?"

Seras, in spite of herself, blushed. "Not really," she murmured. "Now I'm going to let you all go, but if you attack me or Everett, I won't hold back this time!"

"You were 'olding back?" Pip blurted out. "I'll be damned. Bloody vampires!"

Seras smirked as she cut the rope that bound the captives together. Most of the men took off at a sprint towards the end of the tunnel, but Pip lingered. "'ellsing's not ze same without you," he said, brushing off his clothes.

Seras shrugged. "Things change. People change."

"Not you, Girlie," he replied. "You're ze same Seras. Bloody," he acknowledged, his eye flickering downward, "but still ze same on ze inside."

Before she had time to process what was happening, Pip had leaned in to kiss her.

Their lips never met.

Alucard's dark aura washed over them, seizing the small area and filling it with icy shadows. Seras shivered in anticipation, fear overcoming her as the darkness crept deep into her bones. Her master was mad. _Very mad. _Her eye's registered the red-clad figure of the elder vampire near where her mercenary admire had stood mere seconds before. Pip's bread swung wildly at his waist, his feet dangling about a foot above the ground.

"Master!" she said quickly, rushing to take hold of the arm than now held Pip's throat in a death grip. "Don't kill him! We need him to take the message back to Hellsing!"

"Is that the reason, Police Girl?!" Alucard snapped, his burning eyes rounding on her, his fangs bared menacingly. "Are you sure it's not because you want this pathetic human?!"

"Master!" she protested, her face flaring up. She continued to tug on the arm, but could do nothing to taint Alucard's unnatural strength. "You can read my mind," she growled. "You know how I feel! Let him go!"

Alucard's eyes flashed dangerously, and his grip tightened. "Do not order me, _servant_!" Pip kicked and spluttered, losing oxygen. Seras felt panic grip her as she tried to think of a way to save her former friend.

An idea struck her. An idea that could end very badly. It was impertinent. It was out of a line. But it was just absurd enough to work.

She released Alucard's arm and stood on tip toe, snaking both her hands around his neck and pulling him down towards her. Alucard was too caught off guard to pull back or react as her mouth moved in on his. She had one last glimpse of his eyes, viciously red and menacing, before their lips met in the darkness.

Seras kissed him, releasing all the feelings that she felt for master, feelings she normally kept locked inside her. She could not say why or how she had come to care for him. She only knew that she did.

Pip gasped for air as he hit the ground. Seras tried to turn to see if he was okay, but Alucard crushed her against him with both arms, deepening the kiss. Seras could feel her body growing hot, her cheeks glowing, both from the way her master was holding her and from the presence of Everett and Pip.

_Master, it's embarrassing! _She whimpered mentally, struggling. _I don't want them to see!_

_Let them watch! _Alucard growled back. _Let them look and see who you belong to!_

She felt Alucard's cool tongue slipping into her mouth, twining with her own. She was embarrassed beyond all reason, but at the same time, she didn't want him to stop. She didn't want the moment to end.

Alucard slid a hand into her short blond locks, holding her steady as his mouth ravaged hers. The arm around her waist tightened, leaving no space between their bodies.

_Master, _Seras sighed euphorically, overcome by the new sensations rushing through her body. She could feel all of Alucard's dark rage and passion pouring into her through the kiss, lighting her soul on fire. There was something deep and intangible burning between them, like a fiery rope that wrapped around their hearts and held them fast. She could sense it without a doubt, but could not make sense of it.

_Master, I need you, _she thought before she could stop herself.

Alucard paused, his mouth still on hers, and a low chuckle rose from his throat. _If you insist, Police Girl, _he replied, nipping at her lower lip. He finally drew back, looking down at her. His eyes, which had been so full of anger now smoldered with a dark intensity that turned her insides to jelly.

Seras felt breathless. She had completely forgotten about the presence of Everett and Pip who were no doubt watching the exchange with morbid fascination and shock. Hesitantly, she glanced over her shoulder. To her surprise, they were completely alone.

"Where-," she began, but she did not have time to think as Alucard's mouth descended on hers once again, devouring her with an all-consuming hunger. She felt herself sinking into a well of shadows, darkness closing in around them.

"You are mine, Seras Victoria," Alucard's low voice echoed into the black.

* * *

><p>AN: Well, I think Pip will think twice before renewing his addresses. Such a shame because PipxSeras is way cute. But let's face it, AlucardxSeras is just too smexy to pass up. Anyway, let this be a warning that when I post the next chapter, the rating will have changed to "M". So, if you have your ff filter set to block out "M" you will miss out on the next update. ;3 R&R!


	13. Dwell With Me

**Chapter Thirteen**

**Dwell With Me**

Seras hit the bed with a bit more force than was necessary, her ruby eyes widening as Alucard loomed over her, bearing down on her and trapping her beneath him. As far as she could tell, they were back at Everett's townhome in an unused bedroom on the second floor. She recognized the same horrid floral wall paper.

She didn't have long to examine her surroundings as Alucard began to demand her attention. Their lips met in the darkness, demanding and hungry, kissing each other with a passion that boasted of months of frustration. Seras marveled at the intensity of their kiss, and could only draw the conclusion that Alucard had wanted to do this for a long time.

She thought back to the time he had almost kissed her in Siberia, and then to the day he had drank her blood as a punishment. She felt a steady blush rising in her cheeks. What would happen if she offered up her blood now?

Alucard paused in his ministrations, leaning back and staring down at her. His eyes were like molten metal, humming with desire. "I'll be more than happy to accommodate you, Police Girl," he replied with a grin. He captured her wrists and pressed them hard into the dusty mattress, dipping his head down to her neck.

He nudged her face to one side, his breath cooling the tender skin of her throat. The flesh was taught from the angle of her head, revealing the sensitive veins that were once a life force for her body. Seras shuddered as his tongue slid across her skin, squirming beneath him.

"M-master," she whimpered, fidgeting. He had not even bitten her, and already she could feel the heat pooling in her abdomen, her body screaming out in need and want.

Alucard chuckled into the crook of her neck, inhaling deeply. "You want this badly, don't you, Police Girl?" he murmured.

She was too embarrassed to answer. She closed her eyes tightly, baring her throat for him. She felt the pinpoint pain of his fangs resting there, poised and ready to bite. Having been bitten before, she knew the discomfort would last for mere moments before sensual pleasure overtook it.

"Master, please," she breathed out, strangely desperate to have his fangs inside her.

_You smell wonderful, Police Girl, _he told her mentally, tantalizing her skin with the tip of his tongue. _Your entire body calls to me in lust._

Seras continued to fidget nervously. _Is it wrong, Master? _ She asked uncertainly. _Am I too demanding?_

Alucard laughed through their link, filling her with the low vibrations of his voice. _You can already sense that such is not the case, _he replied, scraping his fangs lightly over her major vein. _In this way, you may be demanding of your master at any time. Besides, I will not be your master for long…_

Seras' eyes opened in shock, a wave of fear passing over her. _But if you are not my master…_ she began. 'What is there between us?' was the unspoken question that she asked without ever meaning to.

_There is this, Police Girl, _he growled. Abruptly he bit down hard, sucking her blood with fervent desire, causing her to moan in spite of herself. She writhed beneath him, overcome by the deep need his fangs inspired as they sank deeper and deeper into her flesh.

She tried to think about what he meant. _This._ What was _this_? Lust? Servitude? She knew that she had developed feelings for her master, but what did he feel for her? If she was no longer his fledgling, would he feel anything for her at all?

She had no choice but to banish the confusing thoughts as Alucard encased both of her hands in one of his large ones and began to roam her torso with his other hand. He slid it upwards along her hip and into the dip of her waist, and then up over her breast. There he lingered, tormenting her.

The hot and heavy pull of blood from her veins and the phantom caresses of Alucard's hands already had her squirming. She felt a slow wetness growing between her legs, and embarrassment overtook her.

"M-Master," she whimpered, fidgeting. His thumb was flicking over her nipple above her shirt, making slow, tortuous circles.

_Give into me, Seras, _he hissed into her mind. _Let me make you mine. _His hand seized her breast roughly and squeezed, making her moan.

"I already _am _yours, Master," she replied, trying to regain a hold on her senses. It was very difficult with Alucard's ministrations distracting her.

Alucard finally released her throat, a trail of crimson blood following his lips as he leaned back to look at her. His eyes were hungry, but also deadly serious. "You are my _fledgling_, Police Girl," he replied. "However, I want more than that from you. _Much _more."

He drew her up and to him, holding her close as he nipped at her lips.

Seras felt her face burning with fresh blood, her eyelids suddenly heavy. She felt almost drugged, as though Alucard could ask her _anything _and she would happily comply. "Master…" she murmured, looking up at him with deep, ruby eyes.

Alucard cupped her face with his gloved hand, trailing a finger down her jawline. "Come with me, Seras," he said quietly. To her amazement, it was a request and not an order. "Follow me into the darkness and dwell there with me, not as a fledgling, but as a willing mate."

Seras felt her heart leaping in her chest, her eyes wide. Though she was unfamiliar with vampire mating rituals, she could sense that Alucard was asking her to become his lover on some sort of semi-permanent level. It seemed… impossible. That Alucard could actually _want _her by his side was beyond her scope of understanding. Surely she was not worth taking as a mate. She was so young, and knew so little about the world of night.

"Master, surely you can do better," she said, licking her dry lips anxiously. "Or maybe I am misunderstanding…"

"You are not misunderstanding," Alucard interrupted, his expression heavy and strong. "I wish for you to stay by my side of your own volition, free from the bonds of servitude. Stay with me, and become completely mine."

Seras felt as though her insides had been lit on fire. She was embarrassed and pleased and flattered and terrified all at the same time. She wanted Alucard. She loved and trusted him. Yet how was it that he could possibly return such intense feelings? How could un-life ever turn out so blissfully?

"Master, you know I would follow you anywhere," she whispered. "I am entirely yours; mind, body and soul."

Alucard then kissed her roughly, a low rumble rising from his chest like a purr. "Then I will give you your freedom," he said afterward. "Come and take it. Drink of me, Police Girl. Complete the exchange, and then I will make you _truly _mine."

Seras felt hot and breathless. Slowly, she shifted to her knees and shuffled forward until she was boldly straddling her master's lap, a position he seemed to have no objections to. He looped an arm around her waist, guiding her closer. Seras paused for a moment, looking down into Alucard's regal face. Her hands absently wound their way into his silken raven hair, stroking it softly as she stared into his eyes. Alucard watched her with mild curiosity, waiting to see what she would do.

"May I kiss you, Master?" she wondered, hovering just above him, their lips mere inches apart.

"I have offered you freedom, Police Girl," he replied, smirking faintly. "You may do as you wish."

Seras nodded, and carefully descended her mouth to his. She was far from experienced, and hesitantly pushed her lips against his, intrigued by the feeling of electricity the contact inspired in her. After only a few minutes, Alucard got impatient and dug his hand into the back of her hair, pulling her into him as his tongue dove into her mouth. His other hand pulled her hips down to his, and there she could feel his need for her as it rubbed against her core.

Alucard released her lips, saliva trailing between their tongues as he pulled away. He then guided her face to his neck. "Drink, Police Girl."

Seras could only obey. She sank her fangs into his throat and sucked at the sweet blood that flowed there, dragging it greedily into her body as though it was her only life force. Alucard growled in approval, his nails digging into the flesh of her hips through her clothes and drawing blood.

A deep, dark pleasure overtook Seras. A sense of power bubbling up from within her. She gasped as it seized every inch of her veins, strength building itself into her DNA as Alucard's blood ignited an astounding transformation. She felt euphoric.

"Alucard," she whispered as she broke away, her eyes humming brightly from her fresh feeding. His name was like velvet on her tongue. Foreign, yet smooth and delightful to speak.

Her former master grinned, leaning forward to lick the excess blood from her chin. "Yes, my Police Girl?" he asked softly, pulling her flush against him and then lowering them both to the bed. "Our 'bond' is destroyed at last. Do you understand now?"

Seras shivered, feeling strange. Her skin tingled all over, as though icy needles were piercing it. Yet at the same time, a fierce new heat radiated from within her, like a fire trying to burst out. "I don't feel right," she murmured, wrapping her arms around her torso.

"You are still transforming," Alucard replied. "It is no small feat to ingest my blood. No matter. I will keep you distracted for the worst of it."

Seras nodded faintly, silently giving him permission to continue his advance on her. Alucard's grin grew at the sight of her submission. He reached forward and captured her wrists, curling them away from her chest and pressing them back into the mattress.

"Prepare yourself, Seras Victoria," he said gleefully, his eyes almost manic. "I will show you what it means to be a true draculina. You must only give in to the pleasures of the night."

Seras was still processing his words when she heard the rip of fabric.

For a moment, her mind leaped to the conclusion that Alucard had ripped the clothes from her body. But as a warm, sticky liquid leaked onto her torso and the smell of fresh blood filled the air, Seras realized that their intimate situation had been demolished.

They were not alone.

And someone had driven a three foot blade straight through Alucard's heart.

* * *

><p>AN: Sorry for the suspenseful ending, and for interrupting the Alucard-Seras sex scene, but as I said, this isn't going to be a hard-care smut. And our favorite vampires will undoubtedly find some "alone time" later on in the story! ;3 I hope you all enjoyed! R&R ^^


	14. The Lonely Abyss

**Chapter Fourteen - The Lonely Abyss**

"Master!" Seras shrieked, though the word felt wrong now. He was not her master. He was Alucard.

She quickly scrambled out from beneath him, prepared to unleash a vampiric vengeance on whatever had interrupted their relations. Alucard stopped her, blocking her from leaving the bed.

"Let me handle this one, Police Girl," he insisted quietly, simultaneously wrenching the intrusive blade from his back and tossing it unceremoniously to one side. "Stay where you are."

The elder vampire turned, his eyes wary as he faced his attacker.

In the doorway stood a large shadow, the rims of its glasses catching the moonlight and reflecting it brightly. A golden cross also shone around the shadows neck, and two blades hung comfortably at it's sides, one in each hand.

"Ah thaught tha' woulda killed ye, vampire," the intruder said in a thick irish accent, a lilt of sadistic humor in his voice.

Seras stiffened, feeling very uncomfortable with the new presence. Something was not quite right about this man. Something was not quite… _human._

Alucard chuckled, straightening to his full height and sauntering towards the stranger, casually blocking Seras from his view.

"And who might you be?" Alucard inquired lightly. His eyes took in the white collar around the man's neck. "A priest?" he wondered, intrigue and amusement rampant in his voice.

"Aye, Father Anderson's mah name, ye ungodly beast," the priest informed him, stepping forward into the moonlight. He looked quite insane, by Seras' estimation. His short blond hair crept down the sides of his face where a manic grin was plastered, revealing large, even teeth. Wide blue eyes watched them from behind round glassed. "Ah'm here to send ye back to hell, vampire. And then yer little bitch, too."

Alucard raised an eyebrow. "You don't seem to know what you're dealing with, _Father_," he replied in a cold, mocking tone. "But by all means, do your best!"

Seras itched to move forward and to stand by her master's side. She sensed deeply that Father Anderson was no ordinary priest, and was anxious for Alucard's safety.

_He cannot die, _she reminded herself. _All will be well. Just sit on the bed and wait for him to take care of this._

She fidgeted restlessly as Alucard sauntered closer to the crazed priest. Her body still felt hot and fiery from his blood being fresh in her system. It made the air around her seem so cold, and shivers gripped her as the sense of foreboding continued to build.

There was a pause as they stood mere feet from eachother, each smiling passively as though they were old friends.

Then a glint of black metal as the Jackal rose from Alucard's side. Anderson reacted quickly leaping back and sending a shower of glistening blades through the air. Hadn't there been only two before?

Seras watched breathlessly as Alucard shot each oncoming sword from the air, his eyes alight with malice and enjoyment.

_Alucard, _Seras thought anxiously. He was taking the encounter lightly. _Too _lightly. Couldn't he feel the darkness in this strange priest? Couldn't he sense the danger?

She gritted her teeth, tense and prepared to spring into the fray should things take a turn for the worse. She only hoped her transformation would not hinder her should the need arise. Her legs felt like they might be unstable if she tried to use them.

Alucard nimbly leapt into the air, back-flipping over the deranged priest and firing while he had the advantage of the high-ground.

With a triumphant cry, Seras watched as one of the bullets slipped past the flashing blades and found it's mark right in Father Anderson's skull. Blood and brains erupted from the back of his head and his body collapsed against the wall, still and lifeless.

Seras stumbled off the bed, clumsily swaying her way towards Alucard. As she had feared, her legs felt vaguely like two stumps of jelly.

"Seras, I told you to wait," Alucard said coldly, but he caught her as she reached him, supporting her around the waist.

"Your blood makes me feel so strange," she whispered. "I was worried. That priest… I thought he wasn't human."

Alucard glanced down at the corpse at his feet. "I've killed many vampire hunters in my time, Police Girl. It takes more than a few trick swords to surprise me."

Seras nodded with relief and leaned against his chest, sighing contentedly.

"Well, now that the interruption is over," Alucard murmured, scooping her up into his arms and carrying her back to the bed, "I believe I was about to make you moan with pleasure."

Seras looked up, smiling slightly, amused that Alucard could so quickly turn from bloodthirsty killer to amorous lover. Yet as she gazed into his face, a shadow behind him caught the corner of her eyes, and her smile froze as cold fear and realization gripped her.

"Alucard!" she shrieked.

But it was too late. Bright metal flashed through the air, humming as it slipped cleanly into the flesh of Alucard's neck and beheaded him completely. His raven head soared through the air, landing with a soft _flump _on the pillow beside Seras, dark blood spilling onto the comforter.

Shock resounded hollowly in her skull. Her eyes grew wide as she watched the life seep from her former master's body. Air froze in her lungs and a chill as deep as the bitterest winter gripped her from deep in her bones. It was the cool reality of solitude. Her fortress, her master, the man she loved now lay dead in front of her. A dry cry crept from her throat, but tears did not fall. She was still too shocked.

A low fog of denial settled into her thoughts.

_We have to escape, _she thought vaguely, gathering Alucard disembodied head into her arms, refusing to consider the reality that her master had already left her. Seras clumsily fled the room, pushing past the crazy priest who just cackled as he watched her run.

"Aye, run, ya wee wench!" he called. "Ah'll have yer head as weel befar long!" He seemed eager for a chase.

Her vision blurred from her transformation, and her legs weak, Seras could only stumble down the hall towards the staircase, Alucard's head pressed firmly into her chest, her breath shallow and ragged.

_Alucard, _she called desperately, searching for his presence in their mental connection. She found herself met with silence and the realization that she was completely alone.

"Run, run, run," the priest chanted in a sing-song voice as he stepped nonchalantly after the young draculina. His golden necklace bounced and danced with every heavy footstep.

With a cry, Seras lost her footing on the stairs and tumbled downwards in a heap of limbs. Her former master's head flew from her arms and rolled across the rubble strewn floor of Everett's townhome.

Seras started to crawl towards it when a blade pierced her shoulder and pinned her to the ground.

"Not so fast, ye wee she-devil!" the Scotsman said enthusiastically, thrusting another sword into her other shoulder so that she was completely pinned flat against the floor, belly-down, her face pressed into the wood. "Ah'm aboot to have some fun wi' you!"

Seras closed her eyes tight, suddenly realizing that as quickly as she had begun her strange new life as a vampire, it was about to end. She could not even bring herself to cry.

_Alucard, _she thought desperately, seeking his presence for comfort. _Alucard!_

"Seras!" The voice of her savior was not the deep, seductive baritone of her master. Yet it was familiar, and made her heart soar with hope.

"Everett!" she gasped. She wrenched herself upward in a fresh wave of strength that surprised even herself, taking the two blades with her as she freed herself from the floor boards.

"Oh, yer beddin' two draculs, are ya, wee whore?" Anderson said, his voice delighted and cruel.

Seras quickly turned, and now saw her foster father standing between her manic attacker and herself. "Everett, don't!" she cried out. "He's strong! He k-" her voice cracked "-Alucard..."

Everett shot a wary glance over his shoulder at her words, and his bright eyes, redder than she usually saw them, found the bloody remnant of her former master. His expression turned grim.

"Stay back, Seras," he said quietly.

"Everett," she breathed. Her skin prickled and burned, and her vision continuously came in and out of focus. It took all she had just to keep from collapsing. "Everett, you should run!"

"No, Seras," Everett said resolutely. "I've spent too many years running. Too many years cowering behind the person I should have been protecting. Not this time."

Seras felt a cool trickle of moisture on her cheek, her heart already aware of what was about to happen though her mind had not quite caught up to it.

Everett took a heavy step forward, moving closer to the demonic priest.

* * *

><p>"<em>It's alright, I won't hurt you."<em>

_Seras blinked through the tears, slowly uncurling from her tight ball as she looked up at the strange newcomer. "Who are you?" she asked coldly. She was tucked into the corner of the closet, her arms folded around her legs protectively._

_The man kneeling before her was devilishly handsome, with kind, golden eyes and a long silver-brown ponytail. He smiled crookedly, but it became him well._

"_My name is Everett," he replied pleasantly, offering a hand. "I'm a police detective."_

_Seras stared at it darkly. "I don't know what they told you, _detective_, but I just watched my parents die from behind a closet door!" she snapped, fresh, angry tears springing into her eyes._

_Everett's smile faltered. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "I wasn't aware. You must be Seras, then."_

_She nodded only slightly, watching him with skepticism._

"_I worked with your father sometimes," he continued. "He was a good man, and a dedicated officer."_

"_I don't need a complete stranger to tell me that," she retorted angrily._

"_Seras, do you have any aunts or uncles, anyone we can call?"_

_Fear gripped her as she slowly shook her head. She was going to be sent away to an orphanage. She had no immediate family that would be willing to take her in._

"_Well, how about you come home with me, just for the night?" he suggested. "It beats sleeping at the station."_

_Seras eyed him warily. "Why?" she demanded. "You're not a perv, are you?"_

_Everett chuckled, lowering his hand. "I'm worse than that, my young friend. However, you have nothing to fear from me. You're far too young for my tastes. Now come," he rose, gripping her by the upper arm and pulling her from the ground with him. "Staying here will only make the memories worse. Trust me."_

_Seras considered struggling. She cast a furtive glance behind the detective, to the blue tarps that barely covered the majority of the blood-splatter from her parents grizzly murder._

_She felt herself on the brink of another break down._

"_Let's get out of here," she murmured, lowering her head so that her bangs hid the gruesome scene from view. "I don't want to be here another minute."_

_Everett nodded solemnly, and led her from the room. His hand on her shoulder was firm, but not painful. She found the feel of it oddly reassuring._

_Everett's apartment had all the blatant signs of a bachelor. It was under-decorated, and the furniture was shabby and dull. He prepared for her a makeshift bed on the couch._

_After Seras was settled, Everett sat down by her feet, and patted her shin comfortingly._

"_I wish I could tell you that it will be alright," he said quietly. "I wish I could say that it will all feel better in the morning. But that would be a lie. It's going to feel worse. A lot worse. It takes time to sink in… the full effect of losing someone that is. You'll go through stages of different emotions. It may take months to get over. It may take years. The best thing is to keep busy, and to figure out a goal to work towards. It'll keep you distracted and help you keep going."_

"_You sound as though you've lost someone, too," Seras whispered, her heart aching at his words._

_Everett smiled his crooked smile. "Too many people to count, little one." _

_Seras stared down at the covers, unable to look into his painfully sad eyes. "I'd like to hear about it some day," she mumbled awkwardly. "And someday, in exchange, I'll tell you about my parents. But not now. Right now, I don't want to think about them."_

_Everett gave her another reassuring pat. "I'll be looking forward to it," he told her, rising and heading to the door. "Whenever you're ready to talk, I'll be here."_

* * *

><p>Seras stumbled forward, tears now freely streaming down her face, her hands outstretched to reach him, the one person who had pulled her out of her darkest hour.<p>

"Everett!" she cried.

Everett was still smiling as he launched himself towards the priest. For the first time, she saw him bare his fangs in a horrific show of strength. Father Anderson only grinned.

There was a bright flash of silver, and then the smell of blood was thick in the air.

"EVERETT!" This time she was screaming, watching in horrifying slow motion as her foster-father crumpled to the ground, crimson beads of blood spinning through the air around him as he fell.

She ran forward, desperate, furious, heartbroken. Her senses were still dazed, but she felt clear, unbridled anger taking hold of her mind as she caught Everett's body and leapt almost instinctively through a portal that dumped them on the roof.

The moon shone in the blood seeping from her foster-father's body. He coughed and spluttered, grabbing her sleeve and holding it tightly.

"Hold on!" she whispered fervently, clutching him to her. "Don't die on me."

Everett shook his head weakly. His eyes were tired, and lined with scarlett tears.

"Seras," he gurgled, slowly raising a bloody hand from his side and touching it lightly to her cheek. "I need… to tell you…" he broke, spewing blood from his lips, "…loved you…. Like a daughter…." He trailed off, the light fading from his bright, golden eyes, his hand slipping down the side of her face as the life slipped from his body.

Seras caught his hand, pressing it back to her cheek, smearing his blood against her porcelain skin.

"Everett," she whimpered, sobbing without restraint. "Don't leave me…" but she knew he was already gone.

Alucard had left her. The man she had loved as a father had been taken from her. She was more alone than she had ever been in her life.

Lost in Italy with only a mad priest to keep her company.

* * *

><p>AN: Sorry for the slow update!


	15. The Brink

A/N: Sorry for the slow update everyone! Please enjoy :)

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Fifteen: The Brink<strong>

The world had turned into a swirling green and red miasma, and Seras stood alone, her head lowered, fear gripping her.

_Seras…._

Slowly, she raised her eyes, seeking the speaker amongst the emerald mist, a faint tremor of hope racing through her.

"Master," she called softly, slowly turning and staring into the strange, endless shadows.

"That name means nothing now, Police Girl." The voice was quite solid, and seemed near. Seras whirled about again, seeking its owner. She was still quite alone. "You are a full-fledged vampire now," the voice said again, mere inches from her ear. "You must act like one."

Seras shivered, and hugged herself uncertainly. "But Master," she whispered, "I don't know if I'm ready."

The feel of gloved fingers brushed against her temples. "Hush, child," he murmured in her ear. She felt the sudden, solid presence of him behind her, pressing against her back. "Do not doubt yourself. Remember all that I have taught you, my draculina."

"But Master-,"

"-I told you that name is meaningless. I am no longer your master. And you are no longer my fledgling. You are, however, still _mine_."

"Alucard," she corrected. His name still felt foreign on her tongue.

"Yes, Police Girl?" he purred into her ear.

A tremor of excitement shot down her spine. "Alucard, where are we?"

"Where?" he repeated. "In your mind, I believe. A world of your own creation."

Seras swallowed. She had been afraid of that. "Then," she said, licking her lips, "Are you real? I saw… I saw you die. You didn't answer me, no matter how much I called!"

Alucard chuckled, his lips brushing her throat. "I have already told you, Police Girl, I _cannot _die. A beheading is simply a setback, not the end."

Hope exploded in her chest, fluttering wildly like a storm of butterflies. She wanted to turn to face him, but his arms were like iron and held her in place. Perhaps it was all the better, because she felt tears leaking down her cheeks, and was ashamed to cry in front of him. She could only pray that this was not a dream. That Alucard was really still alive, still with her…

"Are you going to save me?" she wondered meekly. "That priest… I don't think I can beat him. He's not human…"

"He is a regenerator. Iscariot's prized creation. If I had not been so distracted by a draculina, I might have realized it sooner."

Seras felt as though a hand had gripped her heart and was squeezing painfully. "It's my fault," she whispered. "It's my fault you got hurt. It's my fault Everett… that Everett died."

Alucard sighed, wrapping an arm around her waist and settling his head on top of hers. "Everett died because he chose to," Alucard replied calmly. "Because he never bothered to strengthen himself. Because he valued different things. He knew, the moment he stood up in front of you, that it would be his last act."

Seras stared into the green and red blend of colors before her, lost for words. She still felt responsible. She _was _responsible. If she had been more capable…

"Seras…" Alucard breathed into her ear. She felt his lips against her skin. His arms around her brought her comfort as no words could.

Yet she felt the miasma dissolving. The colors around her were fading to darkness, and with them went Alucard's warmth.

"Alucard," she gasped, seeking him in the dark. Her fingers fell on empty air.

Seras came to her senses, her head aching, and her body icy cold, even colder than usual. The first thing her uneven vision found was the moon, bright, red and round, hanging low in the sky. Then she took in the rest of her surroundings. The empty roof-top, the smells of smoke and blood, the feel of dust in her fingers.

Slowly she looked down at the pile of ash laying across her lap and the nearby ground.

"Everett," she realized, running her fingers through the dark substance. She had seen too many vampires die in her days at Hellsing not to recognize their remains. "For dust we are, and unto dust we must return," she mumbled, lifting a small handful of the ashes and releasing it into the midnight breeze, saying her final farewell as her foster-father's disintegrated body floated away on the wind.

Slowly, she rose. Her legs were sluggish, but no longer unstable. Her vision had cleared, and the prickling of her skin had finally ceased. She felt strange, but not in a bad way. She felt sore, the way she had felt the morning after a strenuous work-out. Yet beneath that soreness lay the sensation of new ability, of growth and improvement.

Seras raised her fingers curiously, wondering if the change was physical or mental.

"Alucard," she called softly.

The air around her grew still and silent. Her former master said nothing, but she could sense his presence within her.

"Ah wondered where'd ye run ahf tae, wee monster," the mad voice of Father Anderson said abruptly, shattering her concentration.

The young draculina slowly turned, her eyes easily finding the familiar hulking form of her attacker. He seemed clearer now, brightly illuminated by the moon. She could see that he was blonde, and had not shaven for several days. She could make out the inscriptions on his white gloves.

"Jesus Christ in Heaven."

"Speak with dead."

Seras watched him approach, no longer overrun with terror. She felt a strange pull of curiosity as she watched him.

"Iscariot," she said aloud, recalling what Alucard had mentioned in her dream-like state.

The priest drew up short, surprised by her recognition. "Heard of us, 'ave ye?" he said, grinning. "We are servants ahv God, sent tae purge the earth of foul creatures like you."

Seras cocked her head to one side, examining him more closely. "Catholic?" she wondered, piecing together the fragments of her understanding. It was so much easier to reason when her body didn't feel like it had been set on fire then dumped in an ice bath.

"Ahv course!" he replied proudly, flashing his swords into a crooked cross and watching her over the edge of the blade. "God's own true missionaries."

"I'm more the protestant type," Seras said conversationally. "Too many years spent working for the Hellsings."

Father Anderson made a face at the mention of her former employers. Perhaps there _was _something he hated more than vampires. Then a broad, manic grin spread across his face. "Ah think ah'll find this doubly enjoyable. A vampire and a Hellsing? Ah'm goin' tae enjoy this one!"

He launched himself at her, his blades flashing wildly through the air, his golden cross dancing around his neck. His bright blue eyes were narrowed with malice.

Seras phased almost instinctively, and his swords connected with the concrete rooftop, creating a shower of sparks.

"Slippery wee devil!" Anderson crowed in delight, wheeling about and launching a fresh attack.

Seras dodged again, but less swiftly. The tip of a sword grazed her cheek, drawing fresh blood. Her eyes flashed dangerously, feeling a deep rush of power from within her.

"Police Girl, as much as I would love to see you shred this Catholic bastard, I have a score to settle with him."

Seras and Anderson froze, looking around in surprise. A swarm of bats had descended from nowhere, their wings reflecting the moonlight as they tore at Anderson's face, forcing him to cover himself protectively.

At the center of the swarm, Seras saw a dark shadow materializing.

"Alucard!" she breathed happily. Her heart raced within her chest, warmth filling her.

"What?!" demanded the priest, peering out from behind his arms, his face contorted with rage.

"Sorry, _Father_, but it'll take more than that to kill me," Alucard said, grinning even as his body continued to materialize, blood and shadows swirling around him. "You don't seem to know who you're dealing with."

Father Anderson threw a shower of silver swords through the air, slicing the bats to pieces as they soared. Alucard was nearly solid though, and he had begun to move towards the priest. Seras saw the familiar motion of him drawing a gun from within his coat.

There was a sudden clash of metal, and then the sound of a gunshot. Anderson skidded backwards a few feet, smoke rising from a fresh bullet wound in his chest. She watched in horror as the flesh began to regrow inside him. Alucard was also sporting a blade in his chest, which he casually removed and tossed away.

"We seem to be at a standstill," the elder vampire said in amusement.

"Aye, ah believe we are," the priest agreed, his shared mirth evident. "It seems ah'll need further preparation tae keel ye."

In an instant, Father Anderson had removed an iron-bound bible from his robes and pressed his hand flat upon it. A burst of golden pages fluttered around, spinning faster and faster until the catholic had disappeared from view. The pages began to flutter away, burning as they fell, but Anderson was nowhere to be found.

Seras let out a breath of air she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

Her body ached with a strange longing, a need to pursue and to kill. She held it back, trying to follow Alucard's example. He seemed quite content with the priest's promise of 'later'.

Eventually, her former master turned to face her. His bloody eyes raked briefly over her appearance, checking for serious wounds. Seras knew he would find nothing. The gaping holes in her shoulders that Anderson had used to pin her to the ground had already healed, and now the only wound that remained was the fresh, shallow cut on her cheek.

Seras stared back at him curiously. His hair seemed longer than usual, and fanned out behind him with a life of its own. His eyes were still glowing brightly.

As the adrenalin slowly dwindled from her system, she felt a wave of weakness taking hold of her again. At first she thought it was the effects of the changing. Then she realized it was remorse for the loss of Everett.

She slipped to the ground, exhausted and overwhelmed, trying to keep her tears at bay. She didn't want to cry in front of Alucard. She didn't want him to see how weak she really was. If he knew… perhaps he wouldn't want her anymore. And if that was the case, she would be truly alone, without a purpose.

She stared hard at the concrete rooftop beneath her, concentrating on a little crack as though it was the most engaging thing in the world. Her fingers curled and uncurled in her lap, still feeling the sensation of soft, powdery ash though they were quite empty.

"It was his own decision," Alucard said quietly. His voice was colder than she had hoped, confirming his disappointment in her sentimental grief. "And it was your decision to love a weak vampire," he added as an afterthought.

Seras bit her lip to keep back a retort. She had never expected Alucard to understand. "I just need some time," she whispered. "He was the closest person I had."

"As opposed to me?" Alucard did not even try to hide the annoyance and jealousy in his voice.

Seras looked up at her master, flabbergasted. "If you don't want to be sympathetic, fine, but don't be demanding either!" she snapped, entirely upset with her sire. "I cannot even begin to compare the two of you!" She really couldn't. Aside from the astounding differences in their dispositions and personalities, Everett was a father-figure to her, while Alucard was a lover. The two could not overlap in her mind. She could not say that she loved one more than the other.

Alucard approached her, his eyes narrowed and his aura deadly. Why was he angry? Why were they fighting? Seras found herself confused by the new turn of events. Her mind was so riddled with emotions that she felt it nearing overload.

She flinched when her former master reached for her, wondering if he would reward her insolence with pain. Instead, she felt the soft sensation of his hand in her hair, ruffling it lightly.

"I will not pretend to regret his death," he murmured, a dark edge to his voice. "And I will not let you mourn another man. I will not even give you the time to think about him."

Seras looked up in time to see Alucard's face descending to hers. The heavy feel of his mouth consumed her lips, catching her faint, startled gasp even as it escaped her throat. At that moment, she felt her brain hit its limit, and she went limp, overwrought with conflicting sensations of grief, exhaustion, heat and lust.

Alucard caught her about the waist, pulling her into him. He rose, completely supporting her weight in his arms as easily as if she was a feather.

"A war will be upon us soon," he said into her ear, his cool breath on her neck. "But first, I think you and I need some time to ourselves."

Seras shivered faintly, tightening a hand on his overcoat. "Alucard," she said quietly. He smelled strongly of blood and gunpowder, the fresh scent of battle.

"Yes, Seras?"

"I'm glad you're alright," she replied. The firmness of his grasp on her truly confirmed that he was still there, that he had never left her, that she was not alone.

Alucard sighed, his gaze falling away from her into the distance. "You are still so young," he told her cryptically. Nonetheless, he held her a little tighter to him, like something fragile that might break. Bothered by his strange expression, Seras twisted in his grasp so that she could wrap her arms around his neck. It was a bold move, but Alucard did not seem to object.

"Take me away from here," she whispered. "At least for tonight, make me forget everything."

The insane grin flickered back onto his face.

He did not have to be told twice.


	16. Words with Wine

A/N: Another update, and for once not a month later! Consider it an early Christmas present! ;) I have still not completed this story, but I am working towards a climactic end! Thank you for continuing to read and review. Knowing readers enjoy my stories gives me the inspiration to continue writing!

**The story so far:** In this alternate Hellsing Universe, Seras Victoria was an employee at Hellsing who dared to disobey orders and protect the vampire who had raised her, Everett. As punishment, she is sent to Romania on a suicide mission and it is there she meets Alucard. He finds her more interesting than edible, though, and offers her the gift of eternity. Seras initially refuses, but reaches an ultimatum when her life is put on the line by thugs and finally accepts the offer. While training her, Alucard seems to develop an affection for his new fledgling. They journey to Italy and rendezvous with Seras' vampiric foster-father. However, Hellsing arrives on the scene to exterminate Everett, and it is up to Seras to save him. Among the Hellsing Soldiers is Captain Pip Bernadette, a former romantic interest of Seras. Alucard does not welcome the intrusion on their fragile new relationship and attempts to kill Pip. Seras steps in and finally shows her true feelings for her master by kissing him. This, to Alucard, is all the permission he needs to make his fledgling his forever. He offers her freedom, but asks that she remain with him. Moments after she has become a full-fledged Draculina, they are interrupted by Father Anderson, an Iscariot regenerator intent on destroying him. He beheads Alucard, leaving Seras unprotected. Everett steps in to defend her and is killed, shaking Seras into a state of bloodlust and fury. Alucard heals and intervenes at last, and he and Anderson reach a standstill. Anderson vanishes with the promise of finishing the fight another day. At last, Seras and Alucard are alone...

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Sixteen - Words with Wine<strong>

When the shadows dissipated, Alucard was standing in an upscale hotel room, Seras still cradled in his arms. He set her roughly on the bed and then turned to leave.

"Stay here while I take care of a few things," he ordered, then vanished without a backwards glance.

Seras glanced around, taking in her new surroundings. It appeared to be a small suite, with a seating area and mini-bar peeking through a set of French doors opposite the plush king-size bed. To the left she could see marble floors and a porcelain vanity through a door that had been left ajar. To the right was a vast floor to ceiling window that took up the entirety of the wall and boasted a stunning view of a city skyline.

As she gazed out the window, she realized it was not a city she recognized. Twinkling lights in every color extended all the way to an endless dark mass that she realized must be an ocean or sea.

"Where are we?" she said aloud.

She pushed herself off of the fluffy white comforter and hurried over to the window, pressing herself up against the glass to better gaze at the spectacle. The hotel room was so high up that she could not make out the details of the street below.

As she pulled away from the nightscene, she caught sight of her blood-splattered hands and forearms. A quick examination of the rest of her body revealed a similar appearance, so she went to the bathroom to take a quick shower.

Unaware of the temperature, she just stepped in, clothes and all, and started scrubbing the carnage from her body. After a few minutes, she shed her soaked attire and began to rinse them thoroughly. The bottom of the shower was stained pink by the time she had finished thoroughly washing.

She cut off the water and stepped back onto the marble floor, grabbing a soft cotton towel from the sink and wrapping it around herself. Still dripping, she laid her slightly-less bloody clothes over the edge of the shower and then returned to the bedroom.

The room stood as she had left it, but the light in the adjoining seating area had been turned on. Curious, she tip-toed in that direction, her eyes seeking out Alucard in the second room. Her sire was nowhere to be found, however a glittery red dress lay across a chair, and on the coffee table sat a pair of strappy silver heals and matching jewelry.

Seras could not help staring at the outfit in surprise. Was Alucard asking her to dress up for sex? Or was he planning on taking her hunting? She had already fed mere hours ago though…

Though she had recently achieved freedom, she was still in the habit of doing whatever Alucard asked, so she finished toweling off and slipped into the new clothes. Alucard has even picked out some lacy black lingerie that made Seras blush when she realized she could see through it.

She returned to the bathroom to attempt to smooth her ruffled hair. It had grown a bit since her changing, which surprised her since she was 'dead'. She fingered the damp locks thoughtfully. Hadn't it grown a little _too _much? It was past her shoulders now, and seemed to have lightened in color. It had an almost silver-white sheen.

She continued to look herself over. Her eyes were a deep, dark red, less ruby, more bloody, and they were naturally lined with a seductive shadow. Her lips were red and full, far more plump than she remembered. It was as though she had natural, but sexy permanent make-up.

"Your transformation is finally complete."

Seras tried to refrain from jumping at the sudden appearance of her former master.

"Must you read my thoughts?" she said accusingly, turning away from her reflection so she could glare up at him.

Alucard smirked. "Perhaps one day I'll teach you to block me out. But that would hardly work in my favor, would it?" He stepped forward placing a hand on each side of her against the counter top, effectively trapping her beneath him.

Seras felt no desire to run or escape, but a nervous knot had developed in her stomach. Was she about to lose her virginity right now, on a bathroom counter?

Alucard, perhaps reading her thoughts, began to laugh quietly, leaning close to her so their faces were level. "Patience, my little Police Girl," he said, giving her a brief, rough kiss and then pulling away, heading for the door.

Seras realized that she was already panting, and had to calm herself for a moment before following him. "Are we going hunting then?" she wondered.

"Still hungry?" he replied, grinning.

"N-no," she mumbled. "But the dress and shoes…."

Alucard raked his eyes up her form appreciatively. "That is for my enjoyment," he replied shamelessly. "And so you are not underdressed for this evening's entertainment."

"Are we going out somewhere?" she said in surprise.

Her question was answered when Alucard's clothes transformed into the sleek black suit he had worn in New York. With a whisk of his hand, his long hair slicked back into a manageable style. His long fingers twirled in front of his face and a pair of orange-lensed sun-glasses appeared.

"Ah, should I hide my eyes as well?" Seras asked quickly, remembering her fresh bloody gaze.

"No," Alucard said, capturing her hand and bringing it to his lips. "It would be a shame to do so. Wear them proudly, for they are my gift to you. If anyone asks, you can just say they're contacts. Few humans believe in our existence anyway."

"Then why are you hiding yours?" she asked, blushing lightly at his compliment and the proximity.

Alucard grinned broadly, flashing his large white fangs. Seras suddenly understood. She may have red eyes, but everything about Alucard literally screamed "powerful, deadly vampire". He was Dracula after all. He was the mold for every vampire legend in the English-speaking world.

It was astounding to her that the same man now stood before her, holding her hand and gazing at her with a strange look that spoke of lust and curiosity…. and something deeper.

Seras, feeling self-conscious, hastily asked, "Should we be going?"

Alucard pulled her hand through the crook of his arm and escorted her from the room, smirking devilishly all the while.

_He's planning something, _Seras thought warily. He was being far too nice and gentlemanly. It was unnerving her.

They drew quite a few stares as they moved through the hotel lobby. Seras realized as she passed a mirror that they appeared to be a very rich, very sexy (and slightly unnatural) couple on their way out for the evening. It was no surprise that they were the center of attention.

As they passed other people, Seras caught snatches of American accents.

"Where are we now, Alucard?" she asked curiously. Aside from her trip to New York City in her days as a fledgling, she had never been to the United States.

"Los Angeles," he replied, shrugging. "I thought we needed a change of scenery. How do you like it?"

Seras looked around at the eclectic nightlife and dingy streets. "It looked nicer from the hotel room. At least from up there I could see the ocean. I liked Paris better."

Alucard chuckled. "You're getting spoiled, Police Girl," he teased. "But if you give me a good show dismantling some Hellsing or Iscariot thugs, I'll take you back to Paris as a reward."

Seras shivered. Circumstances had allowed her to let her friends at Hellsing live on her last encounter with them. Next time, they would not be so lucky. Alucard would be expecting her to destroy Hellsing at any cost. Now that Iscariot had entered the mix, that only added to the pending bloodshed.

Alucard slipped his arm around her waist, pulling her down an adjoining street. He guided her into an upscale lounge that adjoined another ritzy hotel.

"What are we doing here if we're not hunting?" she said under her breath. The smell of alcohol and lust were heightening her senses, and making her feel the early stages of hunger.

"We're having a drink," Alucard replied simply.

Seras raised her eyebrows skeptically.

"No, not a human drink," he added in response to her unasked question. "If you are still hungry, I will find you a meal, but you will not share intimacy with any other man tonight. Tonight you are mine."

"Only tonight?" she wanted to know, glancing sideways and up at him so that her lashes fluttered low over her scarlet eyes.

Alucard grinned and led her over to the bar. "You are becoming more aware of your abilities as a draculina," he mused. He leaned forward so that his lips were touching her earlobe and then nipped at it lightly, creating the faintest pin-prick of blood. "If you look at me like that, I'll take you into an ally and claim you there. Or perhaps on the roof. I'm not picky." He sucked the bloody lobe into his mouth and licked it clean, sending heat through Seras' body like a bolt of lightning.

She gasped more loudly than she had meant to, her fingers balling into fists. Alucard's deep baritone resounded laughingly in her ear. "Soon, my dear," he assured her.

He sat back and waved the bartender down to them, ordering two glasses of a local red wine for them.

"I prefer vodka," she huffed.

Alucard turned back to her, sliding his glasses down his nose so that his crimson eyes met with hers. "I need you sober," he replied tartly. "One glass of wine will help you relax."

"I am relaxed," she said defensively. "I'm not afraid of you."

The bartender placed the wine before them. As Alucard passed her one of the glasses, he replied, "I can read your mind, Seras. You can hide _nothing_ from me."

Seras took a sip of the wine, and found that it was a little sweet and fruity. "Can you read everyone's mind? Or is it because I'm your fledgling?"

"There are levels," he explained. "I can hear the loudest thoughts of the humans in this bar. If I make eye contact, I can read their less immediate thoughts and perform simple hypnosis. If I taste their blood, I know everything about them. If I drink them dry, I hold their soul."

"Do you hold my soul?" she could not help wondering.

Alucard grinned. "A piece of it. I have given most of it back. And you have a piece of mine in exchange. It is that which enables you to move through walls, create fire, generate portals and the like. Though I have freed you, between every master and fledgling is a bond that never truly fades. I will always know where you are, if you are in danger and what you feel as long as you live. Unless you learn to shield your mind from this bond."

"I don't think I would want to cut off that sort of bond," she admitted.

Alucard seemed pleased with her response. He leaned back in his chair and sipped thoughtfully at his wine, watching her over the rim of his glass. "What do you know of the relationships of vampires, Police Girl?" he asked, giving his wine a quick swirl before taking another drink of it.

"Very little," she confessed. "Everett never had a fledgling or a lover in the time that I knew him." The mention of her foster father caused a sharp jab of pain in her abdomen, but she forced herself to push on, "and Hellsing was more interested in destroying them than studying them."

Alucard smirked at her. "So this will be a very educational experience for you."

Seras shuddered in anticipation and looked down at her wine. The bright, smoldering look in his eyes turned her legs to jelly. Alucard just wasn't going to let her forget what he planned to do to her later.

"What is it you intend to do with me anyway?" she asked as nonchalantly as she could. "After you take my virginity, that is."

Alucard grinned knowingly. "What is it that you want me to do with you?"

Seras blushed, staring intently at the red liquid rippling in her glass from the faint shaking of her hands. "I wish you wouldn't make me say it," she grumbled. "You want me… to stay with you?"

"I have already said as much," Alucard replied coyly.

Seras took another swallow of wine, refusing to make eye contact. "What does that mean?" she wondered, almost despairingly. "What does that entail? What does it mean to be Dracula's lover?" Her eyes snapped up to his, intense and bright, bearing into him with the greatest unspoken question.

_What does this future hold?_

Alucard's grin never flickered as he replied, "Only time will tell."


End file.
